City of Joburg council speaker Nobuhle Mthembu, of ActionSA, was removed in a motion of no confidence that was passed on Thursday afternoon, with 212 votes in favor and 48 against.
No councillors abstained.
The motion was brought by Al Jama-ah and supported by the African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and Democratic Alliance (DA).
An acting city mayor will assume the role of Speaker until a replacement is named.
Meanwhile, ANC Chief Whip Sthembiso Zungu survived a similar motion, with 179 councillors voting against his removal, 69 in favor and six abstaining.
Earlier, News reported that Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, also of the ANC, survived a motion of no confidence brought by the DA just 10 months into his term.
The DA accused Morero of failing to restore basic service delivery and presiding over what it described as a deteriorating administration.
The motion received 75 votes in support, 144 against and 43 abstentions, falling short of the 136-vote majority required in the 270-seat council.
“The councillors who abstained from this voting process: 43. The yeses – 75. The nos – 144. The motion does not pass,” Mthembu, who was still Speaker at the time, announced during the session.
This led to cheers from Morero’s supporters in the chamber, including members of his mayoral committee.
ActionSA did not support the motion of no-confidence against Morero.
The party’s national chairperson Michael Beaumont told reporters prior to the vote that his party had informed the ANC it would not support the mayor.
“We have come to this conclusion because service delivery in Johannesburg has collapsed,” Beaumont said.
“Traffic lights are not working, streets are falling apart, electricity outages and water outages are more than they have ever been.”
Beaumont also took issue with Morero’s response to the city’s challenges.
“We’ll just repair the potholes on the routes of the G20,” and “Don’t expect a lot under my mayoral team.”
In its motion, the DA accused Morero’s administration of mismanagement, operating patronage networks, and lacking transparency.
The party argued that under his leadership, basic services have deteriorated, communities have been neglected, and local governance has stalled.
“Johannesburg deserves better,” the DA said in a statement.
The party also criticised Mthembu, accusing her of failing to act impartially and of protecting the mayor from accountability.
The DA claimed she suppressed legitimate scrutiny and eroded democratic processes.
“Her actions have demonstrated that she is no longer independent,” the DA said.
“The DA will not stand by while Johannesburg is hijacked by narrow political interests. We owe it to every resident to fight for a council that works, a mayor who leads, and a speaker who upholds the rules with fairness and impartiality.”
Politics
