EFF councillor, Baba Sebolao, tells OFM News that despite repetitive complaints from the alleged frustrated ANC councillors, they voted against the motion on Tuesday 10 March 2020.

The ANC once again used its majority to outvote opposition parties, which include the DA, EFF and FF Plus. A total of 34 council members voted in favour of the motion, 54 against while 2 abstained. Sebolao says he fails to understand why councillors betrayed their own promises after voicing their intention to vote with opposition parties, irrespective of whether the voting method will be by either secret ballot or show of hands. The ANC is yet to comment.

Seboloa was reacting to the defeated DA’s motion of no confidence in Mlamleli. He said many freedom fighters and stalwarts of the liberation movement are either turning with disappointment in their graves or are crying tears of disappointment [about the plight of the city].

“When the community gathered in Kliptown to draft the very significant freedom charter and express a view that people shall govern, never in their right minds did they have any illusion that the people shall fail and steal from the poor,” Sebolao said.

He said the EFF supported the motion tabled by the DA on the basis that the removal of Mlamleli was long overdue. Sebolao further said despite their support for the motion against the mayor, his party believed that she was set up for failure. He also cautioned the speaker, Mxolisi Siyonzana, to be careful and watch his back as his party believed that Siyonzana is also being set up for failure.

“I say with all the greatest respect, Mr Speaker you must watch out, honourable Speaker, you might be next in the line because secret caucuses, and conniving behind one’s back by ambitious people, will not stop in this council.

“Just like Mama Olly, your replacement is already in the public gallery, as well as reshuffling the whip,” he added. He said for as long as the city does not want to create a multi-party committee to investigate the alleged failure of the city manager and do a lifestyle audit of the executive management team and general managers, the city will forever seek the help of the administrator.

The troubled metro is currently under administration and was downgraded twice by the credit rating agency Moody’s within a space of seven months between 2019 and 2020.

OFM News