The Johannesburg ANC regional executive has poured cold water on claims it is considering the petition by minority parties to instruct mayor Dada Morero to resign.
The party rejected the statements as “reckless, misleading and amounting to political overreach and interference” in their internal democratic processes.
This follows a shocking revelation that Johannesburg coalition partners had set in motion a plan to kick Morero out of office after a heated meeting on Tuesday.
It was revealed by minority governing parties that publicly welcomed the resolution at the meeting to request Morero’s party, the ANC, to direct him to submit a resignation letter before the Thursday council meeting that will deliberate his fate.
ANC regional secretary Sasabona Manganye said the ANC is not prepared to fold because of pressure.
“The ANC does not take instructions from coalition partners, media pressure or opportunistic political theatrics. Any suggestion that external forces can coerce the movement into decisions is false and arrogant.”
In a statement, Manganye said a decision of this nature rests with the political party’s internal processes and cannot be swayed by external role players.
“The deployment, recall or resignation of ANC cadres is governed solely by ANC constitutional structures and revolutionary discipline.”
According to the minority cohort, the political management committee (PMC) had frank, robust and heated engagements over Morero’s mayorship, which they believe has been marred by governance challenges.
Minority parties claimed they had expressed serious concern over “leadership paralysis” and its direct impact on service delivery and institutional stability.
“After intense deliberations, the PMC reached a firm and collective resolution that the continued tenure of the executive mayor was no longer sustainable in the interests of Johannesburg and the stability of the government of local unity,” Kabelo Gwamanda said on behalf of the minority grouping.
However, Morero’s party dismissed claims about the city facing a “leadership paralysis” as being far from the truth, and placed blame at the doorstep of “unreliable” coalition partners.
“This is a deliberate distortion aimed at concealing the instability caused by unreliable coalition conduct and the absence of collective discipline among certain partners.”
The ANC said its bid to engage and ventilate issues among those it governs with should not be mistaken for a lack of direction.
“Our commitment to consultation reflects organisational maturity and respect for democratic process, not weakness. The ANC will continue to govern in the interests of the people of Johannesburg, guided by its mandate, values and structures. We remain resolute in restoring stability, advancing service delivery and defending the integrity of democratic governance without intimidation, coercion or compromise of principle.”
The minorities claimed to have agreed to the ANC’s request for time to consult its structures, with a commitment to report back to the oversight and management committee before the Thursday council meeting.
The ANC denied this.
The no confidence motion is expected to be tabled in the Thursday council meeting.
TimesLIVE
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