The ANC in the City of Johannesburg has tabled a motion of no confidence in mayor Herman Mashaba and speaker Vasco da Gama.

Mashaba’s office revealed on Friday that the Democratic Alliance was prepared to defend itself in council against the motions.

In September‚ an urgent application by the ANC to compel council to hear the motion was struck off the roll after the South Gauteng High Court said it lacked urgency. The ANC had gone to court after the programming committee rejected the motion on grounds that it did not meet the rules of council.

“Since the ANC first tabled its motions‚ we have welcomed the opportunity to defend our record in cleaning up the corrupt mess that we inherited from the ANC‚” said Mashaba in a statement on Friday.

“Despite being granted an opportunity to amend the motions‚ so as to bring them in line with the standing rules of council‚ the ANC elected to take the matter to court on an urgent basis. The court found there was no basis for the ANC’s application.

“The court‚ correctly‚ struck the ANC’s application from the roll and awarded punitive costs in favour of the City.

“As I have stated before‚ the ANC’s motions have nothing to do with protecting good governance and ensuring service delivery to residents. Rather‚ these are the actions of a party only interested in self-gratification and continuing the corruption which allowed them to rob the residents of this City blind‚” Mashaba said.