The ANC caucus within the Tshwane metro is threatening to take the council speaker to court after she declined to grant a secret vote in the latest motion of no confidence against mayor Solly Msimanga.
Speaker Katlego Mathebe made the ruling after hearing the arguments for and against the secret ballot during a heated meeting on Thursday at which the ANC sought to oust Msimanga‚ claiming he was the DA’s corruption poster boy amid alleged tender irregularities.
The ANC pushed for secret vote in the hope that this would allow disgruntled members of the DA caucus to vote for the removal of their own mayor.
On its own‚ the ANC cannot vote Msimanga out of office as they only have 89 seats. The DA has 93‚ the EFF 25 and the FF Plus has four seats. The ACDP‚ Cope‚ and PAC have one seat each.
“In this council we have always voted openly by the show of hands. I rule that the voting will be open by the show of hands‚” said Mathebe.
There was a thunderous applause from the DA benches after Mathebe’s ruling‚ which did not go down well with the ANC.
Councillor Mapiti Matsena immediately rose from his seat and declared that the ANC “reserve the right to take you to court”.