How drama has unfolded in Mogale City

Over the weekend‚ the Economic Freedom Fighters expelled its councillors who voted in favour of the African National Congress.

The six councillors are today meeting their legal advisors with an intention to appeal against the decision of the national leadership.

While this is happening‚ the Democratic Alliance has indicated that it wants to unseat ANC Mogale City mayor Patrick Lipudi.

Lipudi is the third mayor to lead Mogale City since last year’s August local government elections. The DA said it is planning to have meetings with its coalition partner‚ the EFF‚ on a plan to remove Lipudi.

But the drama in this city‚ which is on the West Rand has been unfolding for some time.

After the local government elections in August‚ the DA's Lynn Pannall was elected mayor‚ beating the ANC candidate by a single vote.

For the speaker and council chief whip positions‚ however‚ the numbers fell in the ANC’s favour. The election of a DA mayor with an ANC speaker and council chief whip made it difficult for the council to function optimally.

Then‚ in January‚ the DA moved for a motion of no confidence in Lipudi and ANC chief whip Sipho Dube.

The ANC officials were removed.

Gauteng MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and ANC chairperson in the province Paul Mashatile intervened to address the drama in the council. The two ANC officials were reinstated but the DA saw Mashatile’s move as an effort to weaken the DA-led coalition in council.

Mogale City has 77 councillors. After last year’s elections‚ the ANC held 38 seats‚ the DA 27‚ EFF nine‚ Freedom Front Plus two‚ and Inkatha Freedom Party one seat. The DA is in coalition with the IFP and FF+‚ in addition to the EFF.

Pannall resigned in December‚ citing ill-health. The DA’s Michael Holenstein was elected by 39 to 38 votes‚ giving the DA victory again. But In June‚ Holenstein was later voted out in a no confidence motion held by secret ballot‚ this time with the vote going the ANC’s way‚ by 39 to 38 votes.

With such problems in the city‚ the council struggled to pass the budget and the integrated development plan. These are the two documents that empower the municipality to continue delivering services to the people.

But in July‚ the ANC was finally able to pass the budget with the help of the IFP and the EFF.

Over the weekend‚ the EFF expelled six of its councillors in Mogale City for defying the organisation by voting for the ANC.

The resolution to expel the councillors was taken on Saturday by the EFF Central Command Team following the outcome of a national disciplinary committee hearing.

The party said that on July 11‚ the six EFF councillors contravened the EFF decision not to attend the Mogale City Budget vote council meeting in which the ANC needed its budget to be passed.

In July‚ the ANC-led administration in Mogale City passed its budget with the help of the IFP and EFF.

The DA in the council said the move to pass the budget undermined the people of Mogale City.

The budget was passed by council despite the DA walking out of the process‚ during the budget discussion.

But Mogale City is not the only space where coalition government in municipalities have been tested.

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro also had its share of drama. The DA’s Athol Trollip unsuccessfully tried to fire his deputy the UDM Mongameli Bobani.

There are also efforts by the ANC in Johannesburg to remove DA's Herman Mashaba as mayor and the speaker of council Vasco Da Gama.