Johannesburg - The DA says its failed attempt at removing Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina is proof that the ANC places politics ahead of the interests of Ekurhuleni's residents.
The party failed to gain enough support for the no-confidence motion against Masina at the city’s council sitting on Thursday.
The motion was supported by the EFF, but other smaller opposition parties had backed Masina ahead of the motion. Ekurhuleni is the only metro which is still governed by the ANC after the party lost Tshwane and Joburg in the 2016 local government elections.
The party did not get enough votes to govern the metro and is reliant on smaller opposition parties such as the AIC to keep control of Ekurhuleni.
The DA said there were a number of cases of corruption and poor service delivery that Masina had to answer.
“The outcome of the Motion of No Confidence in the Executive Mayor, Cllr Mzwandile Masina shows that the failing ANC would rather put Cllr Masina ahead of the people of Ekurhuleni. With cases of alleged corruption, cadre deployment and failing service delivery, the people of Ekurhuleni have borne the brunt of Masina’s poor leadership. And the failing ANC’s support in Masina shows party politics is more important to them than changing lives,” said DA caucus leader in Ekurhuleni Phillip de Lange said.
De Lange said the motion should have been Masina’s “political execution”.
“For too long the Executive Mayor has spoken without thought of the repercussions. From racist utterances to his commitment to resign if Cyril Ramaphosa became the leader of the failing ANC. This motion of no confidence should have become Masina’s political execution. He has abused his office and brought Ekurhuleni to the brink of collapse with rampant unemployment and corrupt officials operating under his tenure,” said de Lange.
Hundreds of ANC members came out in support of Masina including ANC provincial chairperson David Makhura. DA supports were also seen protesting outside Ekurhuleni Council Chambers in Germiston.
Makhura celebrated the outcome of the failed motion with ANC supporters outside the city's council chambers.
The Gauteng premier accused the DA of corruption in Tshwane and said the metro was in financial distress due to Mayor Solly Msimanga's leadership.