ActionSA in Ekurhuleni has filed a motion of no confidence against Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana and his team of MMCs, in a bid to “save the metro from the brink of collapse”.

The party noted that since Ngodwana’s appointment, with the help of the African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and minority parties such as the African Transformation Movement, Independent Citizen Movement, Pan Africanist Congress, Congress of the People, United Democratic Movement, African Independent Congress and IRSASA in March 2023, service delivery and the City’s financial standing had deteriorated.

The motion will now serve before Council's programming committee, and once approved, will be tabled at the February Council meeting for a vote.

ActionSA has been a vocal opponent of Ngodwana’s tenure as mayor, which saw the EFF join the City’s political leadership for the first time.

“It was clear that Ngodwana was installed as a compromise between the ANC and EFF, and we cannot idly sit by and watch as he fails to govern,” ActionSA City of Ekurhuleni caucus leader Siyanda Makhubo said.

Makhubo claimed that under Ngodwana’s leadership, the City’s finances deteriorated, with cash on hand at record lows and service delivery grinding to a halt as service providers were not paid.

He noted that Ngodwana ignored a council resolution on insourcing and failed to implement a lifestyle audit. He also failed to implement the council resolution on hijacked buildings, which ActionSA said continued to pose a health and safety risk for unsuspecting residents.

“We have seen that the EFF, occupying important service delivery portfolios and the critical finance portfolio, has systematically brought service delivery to a halt, and failed to implement fiscal controls,” said ActionSA.

Makhubo pointed out tha Finance MMC Nkululeko Dunga was infamously involved in the ‘Blue-Light Crash’ last year and has also more recently failed to submit the Auditor General’s report to council on time.

“This is a basic pillar of good governance, which allows councillors as elected public representatives to assess the state of the City’s finances and whether rate payers’ money is being spent correctly,” Makhubo added.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni agreed with ActionSA's sentiments that service delivery has all but collapsed and that the city’s finances have been eroded since the ANC/EFF coalition took over in March last year, however, it said it cannot comment on the "hearsay" surrounding the possible motions of no confidence.

DA Leader in the City of Ekurhuleni Tania Campbell said the party will not be drawn into any ‘cowboy politics’ and will not be used to settle political scores.

She said her party will await official council processes and should any motions of no confidence appear on the agenda to be debated at the next council meeting, the DA will vote to put residents first and stabilise the metro.

"The DA’s focus has always been - putting the residents first, good governance and adequate service delivery. The municipality must not be allowed to be used as a political showground where the only people who benefit are the politicians and communities suffer. Government must have a positive impact on the lives of those whom we were elected and privileged to serve – the residents of Ekurhuleni. Should any motions be tabled to be heard in council, the DA will act for the best outcome for the residents across Ekurhuleni," said Campbell.