By Herman Mashaba
The ANC, yet again, has cooked up a motion of no confidence in the Speaker of Johannesburg’s Council and myself.
At least this time, instead of wasting the court’s time and the taxpayer’s money, the ANC has adhered to the rules of Council in bringing the motion.
Indeed, our courts took a dim view of the ANC’s frivolous court application on this motion and awarded costs to the City as a result.
Be that as it may, as we edge closer to debating this motion, I think it is incumbent upon me, as City Mayor, to ensure that Johannesburg’s residents know the real story behind this motion.
Let me first say that I welcome this debate. I think it is going to give us an opportunity to clear the air, so to speak, and to show our residents how we have performed in government over the past year.
This said, let’s call a spade a spade, the ANC’s motion is a smokescreen to hide their true motivation.
The reality is that, in just over a year of governing Johannesburg, the DA-led coalition is uncovering fraud and corruption that was committed under the previous administration, within every nook and cranny of the city.
This also means we are preventing ANC cadres from being able to use the City of Johannesburg as their personal ATM. I completely understand their frustration. It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to maintain the lifestyles which they never should have been allowed to become accustomed to in the first place – lifestyles which were bought off the backs of our residents.
Sadly, for the fox (the ANC), the doors to the henhouse have been closed. Indefinitely.
This motion of no confidence is all diversion.
Is it possible that the ANC are nervous?
Is it possible that the ANC fear that another administration is showing them up for the scoundrels they are? Notice, I didn’t say ‘were’.
As a last ditch attempt to win back power in their cash cows cities, the ANC have deployed their battering rams not only in the City of Johannesburg but Nelson Mandela Bay as well, where my colleague Athol Trollip, also faces the ANC’s persistent repeat button of motions against him.
I have no doubt we will see more of these antics in the months leading up to what I can only imagine must be an extremely uncertain 2019 national election for the ANC.
Political parties that actually care about the people they serve don’t bring ungrounded motions of no confidence.
Instead, they focus their energies on enhancing and ensuring service delivery. What caring political parties do is seek out the best talent to serve the residents of the city.
If the ANC was sincerely concerned about residents and looking out for all our wellbeing, they would first need to get their own house in order. After all, nobody likes a hypocrite.
Where am I going with this? Well, to this day, the ANC harbours convicted and suspected criminals among its ranks in Council.
ANC Councillor, Leepile Motsumi, who was arrested for corruption, and ANC Councillor, Mpho Sesedinyane, who was convicted of the crime of assault by the Protea Magistrate’s Court, both continue to draw handsome salaries paid for by residents.
Yet the ANC in Joburg has recently claimed to radically hold their councillors to the highest ethical standards. The present state of affairs is hardly representative of an organisation committed to fighting corruption.
In fact, what we see here is the ANC rewarding and encouraging corrupt behaviour; this is much of the same really.
Residents of Johannesburg, this battle is about the ANC trying to take back power so that they can continue to plunder the city’s already looted resources.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
– Herman Mashaba is Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
