Pretoria – Former Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse said she has not given up on her bid to return to the helm of the City of Joburg, after an ANC-led coalition outfoxed her in a motion of no confidence last month.
After being ousted in a vote of no confidence last month, the DA’s Phalatse continued to insist she was the mayor of the City of Joburg. She has taken her fight to the High Court.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Phalatse said the battle is about the six million residents of Joburg.
“Yes, it was never about me and its still not about me. It’s still about the six million residents of Johannesburg. I made a vow to our residents to remain committed to them. This battle is internal, it’s a council battle and our residents cannot enter the battle at this point.
“Our democracy is under attack. There is a lawless Speaker, unfortunately in council currently. There is no regard for the laws of this nation, there is no regard for the rules of council … somebody has to stand up and say enough and protect our council, the institution and our residents,” she said.
Reacting to sentiments that she may be viewed as a “sore loser”, Phalatse said there is propaganda against her.
“Well, it’s propaganda. This is politics. There will always be propaganda. Does it surprise me? No, it doesn’t surprise me. In fact, I expected it would happen. I expect more of it. It doesn’t faze me. I am not about those people.
“I am not here for the naysayers. I am here for the people who are voiceless out there who need somebody to stand up and fight for them. We know what’s going on and we can see the corruption agenda that is beginning to unfold in the last two weeks,” she said.
Phalatse said “questionable decisions” are already being made in Joburg.
Earlier this month, Joburg ANC secretary Sasabona Manganye said the DA was refusing to accept the democratic outcome of the council, in particular the fact that it’s former mayor and the party as a whole no longer enjoyed the confidence and support of the majority of parties and councillors in Johannesburg.
“It is now a matter of common public knowledge that there is no longer a DA coalition in Johannesburg as it has collapsed as a consequence of the DA’s inability to manage it.
“The latest moves by the DA and former mayor are a further confirmation of the arrogance and anti-democratic tendencies that parties in their multiparty coalition have raised as the deal-breaker and key obstacle in the failed multiparty government of Johannesburg,” Manganye said.
He said the DA couldn’t continue to fool the public by falsely claiming to have the confidence and support of a majority of Johannesburg residents when it received only 26.1% of the November 2021 electoral votes.
“We have taken note of papers submitted to the speaker of council and the executive mayor of Johannesburg and are confident that both will successfully defend the matter and not be distracted from the immediate tasks that require their attention – that being, serving the residents of Johannesburg,” Manganye said.
IOL