The ANC in the Tshwane metro council on Thursday requested that voting in its motion of no confidence against executive mayor Solly Msimanga be secret, but the DA has strongly opposed this request.

The request was submitted by ANC councillor Mapiti Matsena, who said council speaker Katlego Mathebe had the discretion to decide on whether the voting will be through a secret or open ballot.

Councillor Aaron Maluleka said the reason they wanted the secret ballot was to ensure that DA councillors who do not support Msimanga can be protected from intimidation.

“If there are DA councillors who do not support Msimanga, [they] will be targeted [if the vote is open]. It is the same with ANC councillors. If there are ANC councillors who support Msimanga, [they] will be allowed to do so,” he said.

ANC regional chairperson councillor Kgosi Maepa said people died [during the Struggle] for the right to exercise their vote in secret.

ANC councillor Lesego Makhubela said the environment in the politics of Tshwane was toxic, saying councillors need to be protected from intimidation.

This is the ANC’s second attempt to oust Msimanga following the collapse of the first attempt last month after the EFF’s motion of no confidence against Msimanga was found to be not compliant with the rules of the council.

The ANC subsequently abandoned its own motion, resulting in Msimanga surviving to fight another day.

The ANC and EFF have accused Msimanga’s administration of corruption after reports pointing to the alleged irregular awarding of a R12-billion infrastructure management tender to consultancy firm GladAfrica.

Msimanga has also faced stern criticism for irregular appointments of top officials in the metro.

The speaker is yet to make a determination on the ANC’s submission that the voting be secret.