Gauteng municipalities in turmoil: Cogta MEC Khumalo voices concern over power struggles.

Gauteng Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Mzi Khumalo announced that his department would establish conflict resolution mechanisms to manage disputes between municipal political parties. Eyewitness News reports that Khumalo announced the council chambers in Braamfontein on Tuesday afternoon, stating that the move was an attempt to ensure that parties and coalitions used motions of no confidence as a last resort.

Previously in the last year, several no-confidence votes were tabled in many municipalities in the province, leading to multiple leadership changes. On Tuesday, a new Johannesburg mayor was supposed to be elected, but ongoing negotiations between parties delayed proceedings.

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Khumalo expressed concern about the level of power struggles in the province’s municipalities and stated that his department would intervene soon. “One of the things we need to enforce as government, and which even at national level there is an agreement, is to ensure there is regulation of coalitions,” he said, adding that there were many loopholes within the councils’ rules that the department needed to address.

“We are going to municipalities as a matter of urgency to review their current standing rules because that is the easiest thing we can do as matters stand now,” Khumalo said. While Johannesburg remains without a mayor, councillors will begin voting for candidates soon.

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Picture: Twitter / MziKhumalo_