The City of Joburg is without a speaker following the Congress of the People (Cope) leadership’s termination of Colleen Makhubele’s membership on Monday.
Makhubele has been accused of defying the party’s instruction to distance herself from joining the new South African Rainbow Alliance (Saru), made up of smaller parties.
The party terminated the membership of Makhubele and City of Tshwane speaker Ofentse Moalusi, on the same charges.
Cope’s decision comes a day after Makhubele and Moalusi started campaigning for Saru.
Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota said his party had not taken a final decision on whether to join the alliance.
He said that while Cope had not given the pair the go-ahead, their decision was against the party’s constitution.
“We were aware of smaller parties coming together to perhaps form an alliance or a coalition that would campaign in next year’s elections. However, no final decision was made on the above,” said Lekota.
“We were surprised to learn over the weekend, through social media, that the pair have already started campaigning for an alliance and have positioned themselves as the president and chairperson of that alliance.”
In a statement following the announcement of the membership termination, ActionSA said it welcomed the sacking of Makhubele after numerous calls for the party to axe her.
“We note that Ms Makhubele has managed to stave off her termination in the past and we are optimistic that this firing will hold, and the people of Johannesburg can satisfy themselves that a speaker with dubious intentions is no longer at the helm of Council business,” said ActionSA caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu.
Mthembu said Makhubele had not been an ideal citizen of the City of Joburg.
He accused her of mishandling matters and council standing rules.
“Makhubele will be remembered for her misapprehension of the Council Standing Rules. Her misinterpretation of Council Standing Rules has cost the City of Johannesburg fortunes. This same Speaker presided over the unlawful removal of the former mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
“It was under her reign where a decision to bring back Floyd Brink as the city manager was tabled before council. A decision which the court described as ‘impugned’,“ Mthembu said.
Mthembu said ActionSA had asked the city manager to call an extra-ordinary sitting in order to decide on a new replacement.
“As we welcome the decision by COPE, we strongly believe that this brings us one step closer to restoring order to the City of Johannesburg for its residents.
“We, therefore, implore the city manager to call an Extra Ordinary Council where we can elect a new speaker. A speaker that will abide by the Standing Council Rules and advance the service delivery needs of the people of Johannesburg,” Mthembu added.
The Star