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The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in Gauteng wishes to express its disappointment with the City Council of Ekurhuleni for failing to quorate and elect a new Executive Mayor yesterday.

A special sitting of the Council was called on Wednesday, 2 November, to elect a new Mayor. This comes after Cllr Tania Campbell was removed as Mayor by a motion of no confidence a week ago. The purpose of the meeting was to elect new leaders to guide the City's governance and ensure quality service delivery. This process, however, has been further halted by another week.

Yesterday’s Council meeting was delayed numerous times due to certain political parties, and when it finally reconvened, there was insufficient quorum to complete the day's business. Cllr Raymond Dlamini, the Speaker, then called for the meeting to be reconvened the following week. This means that the City of Ekurhuleni will be adrift for another week.

The IFP is concerned that these unnecessary delays will jeopardise service delivery to the people of Ekurhuleni. Furthermore, the Councillors' failure to return to the meeting today demonstrates a shameful disregard for the people who elected them to serve them.

As a result, the IFP wishes to remind Councillors in Ekurhuleni of their oath to voters, which requires them to serve the people first and foremost. As elected public representatives and citizens, we have a responsibility to right the wrongs of municipalities, and this mandate applies to all of us, regardless of our political affiliations. 

Issued by IFP Gauteng Provincial Secretary Alco Alderman Ngobese