Potchefstroom - A vote of no confidence in Tlokwe mayor Annette Combrink was passed by the municipal council on Tuesday.
The vote and the motion of no confidence was passed by 30 votes to 22. Voting will now start for a new mayor.
As Combrink left the desk at the front of the council house, Councillor David Legoete who brought the motion, gave her a mock standing ovation.
Combrink pulled a face and gave him a thumbs down sign.
Legoete brought the motion, on behalf of the African National Congress caucus in Tlokwe city council, to have Combrink be removed from office with immediate effect.
In the motion, Legoete said Combrink was a member of the Democratic Alliance and as such was bound by the policies of the DA.
“The major constituents within the jurisdiction of the Tlokwe City Council voted for the ANC and therefore expect the executive mayor to abide by the national, provincial and local policies, and manifestos of the ANC to be implemented for purposes of service delivery to them,” he submitted.
“It is (untenable) for the Tlokwe city council, which has the majority of councillors representing the ANC, (to be) led by a member of the DA in the executive.”
Fighting ANC factions passed a motion of no confidence in party-aligned mayor Maphetle Maphetle in November.
He was replaced by Combrink - the first DA mayor in the province - when she defeated ANC candidate Lucky Tsagae by 20 votes to 19 for the mayoral position.
The ANC now wants the position back.
Councillors will now vote for either Combrink or Maphetle to take back the mayoral position. - Sapa