The DA's hopes of exploiting divisions in the ANC caucus in the embattled Makana Municipality went up in flames during a special council meeting today (15 September), as all 19 ANC councillors voted for Nomhle Gaga to be re-appointed as mayor.
The DA's hopes of exploiting divisions in the ANC caucus in the embattled Makana Municipality went up in flames during a special council meeting today (15 September), as all 19 ANC councillors voted for Nomhle Gaga to be re-appointed as mayor.
Yandisa Vara was also re-elected, unopposed, to her position as the Speaker of the municipality in the highly anticipated meeting.
Gaga was up against DA caucus leader Les Reynolds. She won with 19 votes, while Reynolds received six. Makana Municipality had no mayor following Gaga's resignation last week.
The DA had challenged Gaga's appointment less than two weeks after she was announced as the new Mayor on 28 August.
Last week, the Mayoral Committee – Council's Exco – was dissolved, because the municipality was operating without a mayor. This was done after the DA made an urgent court application to have Gaga's appointment set aside.
In a statement released on 2 September the DA said it believed that if a secret ballot had been allowed, there was a good chance some ANC councillors would have voted for a DA mayor.
This, however, was far from what unfolded in the Council meeting earlier today. Each of the 19 ANC councillors put their vote next to Gaga's name. This means the only people who voted for Reynolds were DA councillors.
Congress of the People representative in the Council, Ruth Plaatjie asked to abstain from voting minutes before the process began.
At some points in the meeting ANC councillors had to be contained as they burst into celebratory song when both Vara and Gaga were re-elected to their respective positions.
After her re-election, Gaga re-appointed her mayoral committee without any changes.
Former Speaker Rachel Madinda-Isaac was appointed as chairperson of the Tourism portfolio, Thuleka Ngeleza as chairperson of the Finance portfolio, Mabhuti Matyumza as chairperson of the Public Safety and Community Services portfolio, Nombulelo Masoma Infrastructure portfolio chairperson and Ernest Louw as the chairperson of the Local Economic Development portfolio.
Councillor Zamuxolo Peter who has since been deployed to the Sarah Baartman District Municipality to head the Tourism portfolio was also present during the Council meeting.
Read more in Friday's print edition of Grocott's Mail. anele@grocotts.co.za
