ActionSA has submitted a motion of no confidence against Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana in a bid to “save the city from the brink of collapse.”
This comes as service delivery in the metro continued to decline. Ngodwana is a member of the African Independent Congress (AIC), a party that holds several seats in the city council.
The AIC is in a coalition government backed by the African National Congress (ANC), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), African Transformation Movement (ATM), Independent Citizen’s Movement (ICM), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Congress of the People (Cope), Irsasa and UM.
ActionSA said it filed the motion this week in a bid to “save the city.”It said the motion was also roped in Ngodwana’s team of MMCs.
ActionSA caucus leader Siyanda Makhubo said the mayor failed to govern and deliver the services to the people of Ekurhuleni.
“Since his election, with the help of the ANC, EFF, and the Super 7 minority parties such as the ATM, ICM, PAC, COPE, UM, AIC, and IRSASA in March 2023, service delivery and the City's financial standing has deteriorated,” he said.
According to Makhubo, he was installed as a compromise between the ANC and EFF, and “we cannot idly sit by and watch as he fails to govern.”
He said under Ngodwana’s leadership, they have witnessed:
– The City's Finances deteriorate, with cash on hand at record lows.
– Service delivery grinds to a halt as service providers are not paid.
– A waste crisis that continues to plague communities.
– The mayor ignored a council resolution on insourcing as well as failing to implement the lifestyle audit.
– His failure to implement the council resolution on hijacked buildings which continue to pose a health and safety risk for unsuspecting residents.
Recently, the EFF MMC for Finance, Nkululeko Dunga, was infamously involved in the 'Blue-Light Crash' last year and has also more recently failed to submit the Auditor General's report to council on time.
Dunga is also accused of misusing the city funds for his expenses.
“It is for these reasons we have brought a motion of no confidence against Mayor Ngodwana and his team of underperforming MMCs,” Makhubo said.
The motion will be served before the Council's programming committee and will be tabled at the February Council meeting for a vote, once approved.
“To this end, ActionSA is willing to work with any party that will put residents first and get service delivery moving again,” he said.
Dunga has since dismissed allegations of funds management and not delivering services.
IOL tried to obtain comment from the mayor but to no avail.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics