The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) says it can’t wait to see the back of the City of Johannesburg Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse. The union says a vote of no confidence against the mayor will soon be tabled at a council meeting.
SAMWU says it welcomes the axing of Council Speaker Vasco da Gama last week. The union was briefing the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
SAMWU is the biggest trade union in the City of Johannesburg. Now, it’s calling for the removal of Joburg Mayor Dr Phalatse. It says that’s because the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led administration continues to display arrogance and doesn’t consider the needs of workers in the metro.
SAMWU adds that the future of their members depends on the mayor leaving office and being replaced by someone who will take into consideration issues that affect the workers.
“We want to make it categorically clear that as workers organisation, our preoccupation is not which political party leads the city but rather which one works for workers and residents alike. We have noted further that there are talks amongst political parties to put forward a motion of no confidence in the mayor, cllr Mpho Phalatse. If us, as workers were allowed to vote, we would obviously vote out mayor Phalatse,” says SAMWU Deputy Regional Chairperson, Richard Moila.
This week, seven political parties who are part of the coalition government in the City of Johannesburg took matters to the police. They opened a case of corruption and bribery against some African National Congress (ANC) representatives in the council.
It’s alleged that they tried to bribe Inkatha Freedom Party and Patriotic Alliance councillors with R150 000 to vote with the ANC in removing council speaker, Vasco da Gama through a vote of no confidence. SAMWU says it’s not concerned about that.
“We are not concerned if whether it’s an ANC or ActionSA or which councillor. We are a national worker union. Our primary concern is municipal workers in the main. So the bribe and what they do or it’s their gimmicks in council it’s none of our issue,” says SAMWU Gauteng Provincial treasurer, Karabo Ramahuma.
As the uncertainty on the future of Joburg mayor doctor Mpho Phalatse continues, the biggest union in the municipality, SAMWU says all it wants to see is progress when it comes to the mayoral candidate that will be elected, considering issues that are raised by the workers in the municipality – and thus enhance service delivery across the City of Johannesburg.
They are saying that whoever takes over as the mayor needs to make sure that the interests of the workers are put first.
