By STAFF REPORTER
The Makana Democratic Alliance’s (DA) motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the Council was defeated in Council on 27 May when the five newly-inaugurated Makana Citizens Front (MCF) councillors surprisingly voted with the ANC.
The DA said it tabled the motion because many of its motions – including a motion of no-confidence in the Municipal Manager – were not included in Council agendas. In addition, the DA said several meetings had been cancelled and rescheduled at short notice, which was “very disruptive to Council”.
The Speaker’s office is responsible for submitting motions to Council and coordinating portfolio and council meetings.
“The DA requested a secret ballot for this vote so that councillors from all political parties could vote with their consciences. There was a debate about this, but the request was denied, and the DA voted by a show of hands.”
The five DA councillors voted for no confidence in the Speaker, the two EFF councillors withheld their votes, but the five new MCF councillors and all the ANC councillors voted for the Speaker to remain.
“After the local government elections, the ANC was returned with a majority of one – 14 ANC to 13 opposition councillors (DA, MCF and EFF). The reality is that the ANC is strengthened even further now.
We are not sure whether this reflects the electorate’s wishes, which voted in November 2021,” the DA statement said.
Also decided at Friday’s Council meeting was a resolution to place a month-long moratorium on all overtime except for statutory or essential services such as the fire department, starting from July.
The DA said the moratorium was “long overdue”.
