ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has issued a stern warning to party members who do not toe the party line in a motion of no confidence against Joburg Mayor Thapelo Amad.
Amad is expected to face a motion of no confidence after a series of embarrassing interviews which have left question marks on his competence as mayor of the City of Joburg.
His leadership has weakened the ANC-led coalition and fragmented the minority parties in the City of Joburg.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA), which was part of the ANC-led coalition that endorsed Amad as mayor, announced that it would leave the coalition and support ActionSA’s motion of no confidence.
In an interview with The Star yesterday, Mashaba said ActionSA was in the process of reopening talks once more with its former coalition partners to take over the City of Joburg after the collapse of the government of local unity.
In the past, there had been allegations of bribery during motions of no confidence votes in Joburg. But Mashaba said the party was aware of this and would deal decisively with those who got involved in bribery.
“If we as ActionSA suspected that you are vulnerable to bribery, we will get rid of you. If parties will not deal decisively with their councillors they will encourage the ANC to keep buying public representatives for us; we are keeping our councillors accountable if we find you entertaining corruption we will immediately get rid of you,” he said.
Mashaba said there were instances of bribery in the Joburg Municipal Council which were reported to the police.
“Last year when there was a motion of no confidence one of our councillors was offered R250 000 and we laid a criminal charge, the police still have not done anything about it. The other day in Tshwane one of our councillors was offered money.”
The Star understands that the ANC was busy trying to ensure that the government of local unity in the City of Joburg does not collapse.
PA leader Gayton McKenzie was expected to report back to his party on a high-level meeting between the PA and ANC leaders on the problems in the Joburg coalition.
Meanwhile, the opposition in the City of Joburg was expected to lobby some of the minority parties to rally behind the motion of no confidence against the mayor.
The Star understands that the minority parties, who are part of the current coalition, were divided over the leadership of the mayor with some suggesting that he should step down to save the coalition.
The Star had contacted both the PA and the ANC about discussions which took place on the weekend. The ANC in Johannesburg referred queries concerning the meeting to the ANC in the province. Despite numerous attempts, there was no comment.