PA Throws Support Behind Motion of No Confidence Against Embattled Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Amad

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has announced that it will support a motion of no confidence in Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Amad. The Patriotic Alliance has fallen out with its coalition partner, the ANC, and has decided to side with the opposition, according to News24. PA leader Gayton McKenzie, currently the mayor of the Central Karoo District Municipality in the Western Cape, has stated his willingness to be elected as the mayor of Johannesburg “to save the city.”

In January, the ANC, PA, and EFF helped to elect Al Jama-ah councillor Thapelo Amad as mayor. As a result, each political party received a mayoral committee seat as part of the deal. The PA has two mayoral committee members (MMC) in the City, with Kenny Kunene, the party’s deputy president, serving as the MMC for transport. However, the PA has said it will relinquish these positions in favour of removing Amad, stating that Johannesburg residents “deserve better.”

Despite having two MMC members, McKenzie has accused “mafias and criminals” of running the Joburg metro and said Amad was not suited to be mayor. In a statement on Thursday, McKenzie said, “The Patriotic Alliance will vote in favour of ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Joburg Mayor Thapelo Amad. We do this not for ourselves but because the residents deserve better.”

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The PA’s unhappiness with the ANC is because the party did not receive mayoral committee positions in Ekurhuleni. The PA convened a national executive committee meeting on Wednesday, where the party decided to back a motion of no confidence in Amad submitted by ActionSA. McKenzie said on Thursday that he would serve as Johannesburg mayor if a no-confidence vote removed Amad. However, McKenzie’s likelihood of becoming mayor is slight as he would unlikely get backing from the ActionSA, DA, ACDP, or the Freedom Front Plus.

The PA had left its alliance with the DA and its coalition partners to join the ANC, which left the coalition vulnerable and led to removing the DA’s Mpho Phalatse as mayor. Nevertheless, McKenzie believes he can transform Joburg. He said, “In Central Karoo, I replaced all the pit latrines with flushing toilets and fixed most of the swimming pools, giving children a chance to enjoy their community. Imagine what’s possible in a city of boundless potential? Let’s imagine a better city for our children.”

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ActionSA Takes Bold Move to Oust Speaker and Mayor with No-Confidence Motion

Picture: Twitter / LudidiVelani