Phalatse, Campbell's tenure look safe as PA comes back into the coalitions fold

City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni mayors Mpho Phalatse and Tania Campbell, respectively,  look poised to finish the term after the PA came back into the governing coalition fold in the two cities.

PA president Gayton McKenzie announced discussions with their former coalition partners had concluded. This as the PA previously supported motions of no confidences against Campbell and Phalatse last year.

Phalatse was briefly replaced by ANC regional chairperson Dada Morero as mayor, a decision that was later overturned by the Johannesburg High Court.

Meanwhile, in Ekurhuleni, the ANC caucus, who were meant to support the EFF's candidate, instead fielded their own candidate but failed to secure enough numbers.

In a post on social media on Tuesday, McKenzie said: "The coalition discussions in the City of Joburg and Ekurhuleni have been successfully concluded between the Patriotic Alliance and ActionSA, DA, FF+, ACDP and IFP.

"All our different teams are now busy drafting contracts in order to make sure we sign before Thursday. All our efforts will now be directed to the coalition in the Northern Cape where PA was highly disrespected by the ANC there," McKenzie said.

Meanwhile, in Ekurhuleni, a grouping of political parties that calls itself the "Super Seven" – AIC, ICM, PAC, UDM, ATM, NFP and COPE – has tabled a motion of no confidence against speaker Raymond Dhlamini and the whip of council, Khetha Shandu.

"The Super Seven feels that it is prudent that council assess and resolves on the fitness of the current speaker and whip of council as they are elected officials responsible for the effective and efficient functionality of council and the overall political management in the City of Ekurhuleni," the statement read.

The motions will be debated during an ordinary council meeting scheduled for January 26.