Johannesburg - The motion of no confidence against Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba was delayed for an hour as political bickering continued.
On Thursday, at the Joburg council Chambers, the EFF requested a 30-minute break to go and caucus following the announcement by Speaker Vasco Da Gama that the motion against Mashaba, which was low on the agenda, would be moved up because "certain councillors have to leave early".
The EFF were granted the 30-minute break and it seemed like the proceedings would continue. However, the ANC then asked for its own 30-minute adjournment.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MashabaNoConfidence?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MashabaNoConfidence: There is heavy security around the Joburg Council Chambers ahead of the no confidence vote. pic.twitter.com/UMrbz4b3JW
— Khaya Sibulele Koko (@khayakoko88)
Early this month, the ANC took a decision to table a motion of motion of no confidence against the mayor, who became Joburg's first citizen in August 2016 after entering into a coalition with the EFF.
The ANC accused Mashaba and his administration of reversing programmes of their previous administration in a bid to make it look bad and of accusing it of corruption without providing tangible proof.
The party said Mashaba had also allowed the EFF to indirectly influence tenders where the red berets secured kickbacks.
There are 270 seats in the Joburg Council. The ANC, which has 122 seats, requires at least 136 votes for its motion to remove Mashaba to succeed. The EFF, which has 30 seats, holds the key again as to how the vote will swing.
DA Gauteng Leader John Moodey said Mashaba spoke to the EFF ahead of the motion to remove. Moodey said he was "confident" that the EFF "will do the right thing".
The ANC said removing Mashaba as mayor was something that was being done in the best interest of Johannesburg residents.
The DA, however, dismissed the motion of no confidence in Mashaba as nothing but a ploy by the ANC to regain control of ratepayers' money in the country's economic heartland.