‘Let them try’ : ActionSA dares those plotting motion of no confidence against Tshwane mayor

“Good luck with their idea.” - That is how ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont has hit back to speculation about a potential motion of no confidence against City of Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya.

Beaumont said this during a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, where the party launched the Tshwane mayor's performance tracker.

The tracker will show how the city is performing under Moya's leadership.

He explained that the tracker is updated in real time with data from the city, allowing residents to monitor Tshwane’s progress through the party’s website.

The tool tracks key areas such as financial stability, infrastructure, economic revitalisation, safety and cleanliness, governance, and customer care.

Responding to speculation about a motion of no confidence, Beaumont said it has become a trend in South Africa for people to start plotting a mayor's removal from day one.

“As it relates to the question of a motion of no confidence, I think how it works in South Africa is the day you get elected as mayor, people start planning motions of no confidence against you,” he said.

“So I’m pretty sure whoever is planning this motion has been planning it for nine months. I think they are very deeply disappointed by the progress that's starting to happen in the City of Tshwane,” he added.

Beaumont acknowledged the fluid nature of coalition politics.

“We must understand the nature of coalitions: they are voluntary. People are free to come, and people are free to go. And at any point in time, coalition partners may well decide that they want to follow that particular course of action.”

He also took a jab at those planning the motion.

“If you think the reaction to General (Nhlanhla) Mkwanazi was big, I’d like you to consider very carefully how the residents of Tshwane would respond to anyone who tries to remove this mayor, given the progress they are starting to see in their communities for the first time in a long time... and I wish that political party good luck with the idea.”

The party has decided not to comment further on potential threats to remove City of Tshwane municipal manager Johann Mettler, who has recently come under fire from the ANC over the legitimacy of his 2022 appointment.

The ANC has raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the selection panel’s composition and questioned whether Mettler met the required minimum competency levels. The party has indicated it will call for a special council meeting to debate the matter.

The controversy intensified after Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Jacob Mamabolo sent a letter to Moya, asking for clarity on the integrity of the appointment process.

When asked to clarify ActionSA’s position, Beaumont said the party would no longer engage publicly on the matter.

“On the question of the municipal manager, we will not respond further as a party. We've ventilated our opinion on the issue,” he said.

“It is a matter of public record, and particularly in light of our view that we should not invite unnecessary instability in a city that is starting to move forward for the first time in a long time.”

He emphasised ActionSA’s belief in separating party politics from governance.

“In our view, this is a governance issue, and we’d like to draw a very big wall between governance and party political issues,” Beaumont said.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

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