EFF calls for City of Joburg MMC Nkululeko Mbundu to leave chambers

The City of Joburg’s fifth ordinary council sitting in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, got off to a rocky start on Wednesday as members of the EFF called on economic development MMC Nkululeko Mbundu to leave the chambers.

Standing on a point of order, the EFF said Mbundu had no right to be part of the sitting as he is under investigation by the speaker’s office for allegedly interfering in tender processes of the Johannesburg Property Company.

Allegations against Mbundu are that he violated the Municipal Finance Management Act.

“Mbundu must go,’’ EFF members chanted.

Council speaker Vasco Da Gama dismissed the EFF’s request, saying the matter is still under investigation and Mbundu has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.

Da Gama told EFF members to sit down, which they did. 

Meanwhile, Al-Jama-ah will be tabling a vote of no confidence motion against speaker Da Gama during Wednesday’s sitting.

The motion was submitted by Al-Jama-ah councillor Thapelo Amad and seconded by fellow party member councillor Kabelo Gwamanda.

Listed as the top four reasons for wanting his dismissal, Da Gama is alleged to be biased in council, allows DA members to sit in restricted areas in chambers, censors councillors from opposition parties by muting their microphones and also runs council like a military state by deploying Johannesburg metro police in the council precinct.

With only three seats in council, Al-Jama-ah will have to do some heavy lifting for the motion to be successful.

The DA-led multiparty coalition government has a total of 140 of the 270 seats in council.

This means Al-Jama-ah needs the ANC’s 91 seats, support from the EFF’s 29 councillors, both votes from the AIC, including GOOD, the PAC, APC and AHC’s individual seats for any chance of success.

Combined, the opposition has a total of 130 seats in chambers, meaning they would need an additional six votes, which can only come from the multiparty coalition.