ActionSA notes the Democratic Alliance’s announcement to table motions of no confidence in both the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Cllr Dada Morero, and the Speaker of Council, Cllr Nobuhle Mthembu, as yet another opportunistic ploy aimed at exploiting a city already in deep crisis.
There is no denying the deep governance crisis that has gripped the City of Johannesburg. Basic services are failing, infrastructure is crumbling, and residents have lost trust in their city’s leadership. ActionSA has not hesitated to confront these failures – evident in our principled opposition to the Adjustment Budget that sought to impose an unfair R230 electricity surcharge on residents.
However, the DA’s motion is not a sincere effort to restore sound governance. It is a cheap ploy to deepen instability in an already broken city. The endless spinning of the mayoral carousel, without any credible plan, offers residents no relief. It is a distraction and must be exposed for what it truly is — political theatre cloaked in hollow virtue.
DA’s Track Record of Hypocrisy and Collapse
It must be clearly stated that the DA was at the centre of collapsing its own multi-party government in Johannesburg, led by Mayor Mpho Phalatse. At a critical moment when compromise could have preserved stable governance, ActionSA offered to sacrifice two out of our three Executive seats to accommodate the Patriotic Alliance — a good-faith proposal that the DA arrogantly rejected.
This refusal to save their own mayor, opened the door to the ANC-led coalition that now governs the city. The DA’s refusal to share power in the interest of residents directly contributed to the dysfunction they now claim to oppose. Johannesburg continues to bear the cost of their political intransigence.
The Speaker and the DA’s Misplaced Accusations
Cllr Nobuhle Mthembu, Speaker of Council and a representative of ActionSA, has a constitutional responsibility to uphold order and impartiality in Council proceedings. While we reject the DA’s deliberate misrepresentation of her conduct, ActionSA remains committed to accountability. All our public representatives are subject to monthly internal performance reviews to ensure they uphold the highest standards of public service.
Ironically, Speaker Mthembu has been at the forefront of leading the City’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) public participation process — a process the DA and its councillors have consistently chosen to disregard.
While the IDP public participation sessions continue until 12 May 2025, providing residents with a vital opportunity to influence service delivery and budget priorities, DA Ward Councillors have consistently failed to attend or mobilise their communities to participate.
This dereliction of duty directly undermines the democratic process and lays bare the DA’s hypocrisy. It raises a serious question about whether the tabling of this motion is a deliberate attempt to deflect from their own failures at grassroots level.
Instead of engaging meaningfully in governance, the DA has resorted to political grandstanding — issuing motions and press statements while neglecting the very residents they claim to represent.
ActionSA’s Position and Ongoing Commitment
ActionSA reaffirms our commitment to placing residents above political expediency and will not be drawn into reckless acts of destabilisation. As we have consistently done with every matter before Council, we will scrutinise the DA’s motions to determine whether they genuinely serve the public interest.
The DA’s decision to table these motions without first engaging other parties underscores a clear lack of constructive intent. Their refusal to consult, even while knowing that no single party holds a majority and that a successful motion requires 136 Councillors, exposes the performative nature of their actions.
With only 70 Councillors, especially after losing a crucial ward to the Patriotic Alliance, it is evident that the DA’s approach is not about building consensus to address the city’s governance challenges, but rather about grandstanding and undermining any real effort to resolve these issues.
ActionSA believes in building coalitions that serve with purpose and stability and remain committed to working with all stakeholders to strengthen governance wherever possible. A strong case in point is the City of Tshwane, which was on the brink, but now continues to record meaningful progress through focused leadership and collaboration.
Johannesburg does not need more drama or theatrical motions. It needs leadership, service delivery and real accountability. That is the path ActionSA will continue to walk — not in pursuit of headlines or political point-scoring, but guided by a sincere commitment to fix South Africa and put residents first.
ActionSA Condemns DA’s Motion of No Confidence as a Desperate Attempt to Distract from Its Failures
ActionSA notes the Democratic Alliance’s announcement to table motions of no confidence in both the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Cllr Dada Morero, and the Speaker of Council, Cllr Nobuhle Mthembu, as yet another opportunistic ploy aimed at exploiting a city already in deep crisis.
There is no denying the deep governance crisis that has gripped the City of Johannesburg. Basic services are failing, infrastructure is crumbling, and residents have lost trust in their city’s leadership. ActionSA has not hesitated to confront these failures – evident in our principled opposition to the Adjustment Budget that sought to impose an unfair R230 electricity surcharge on residents.
However, the DA’s motion is not a sincere effort to restore sound governance. It is a cheap ploy to deepen instability in an already broken city. The endless spinning of the mayoral carousel, without any credible plan, offers residents no relief. It is a distraction and must be exposed for what it truly is — political theatre cloaked in hollow virtue.
DA’s Track Record of Hypocrisy and Collapse
It must be clearly stated that the DA was at the centre of collapsing its own multi-party government in Johannesburg, led by Mayor Mpho Phalatse. At a critical moment when compromise could have preserved stable governance, ActionSA offered to sacrifice two out of our three Executive seats to accommodate the Patriotic Alliance — a good-faith proposal that the DA arrogantly rejected.
This refusal to save their own mayor, opened the door to the ANC-led coalition that now governs the city. The DA’s refusal to share power in the interest of residents directly contributed to the dysfunction they now claim to oppose. Johannesburg continues to bear the cost of their political intransigence.
The Speaker and the DA’s Misplaced Accusations
Cllr Nobuhle Mthembu, Speaker of Council and a representative of ActionSA, has a constitutional responsibility to uphold order and impartiality in Council proceedings. While we reject the DA’s deliberate misrepresentation of her conduct, ActionSA remains committed to accountability. All our public representatives are subject to monthly internal performance reviews to ensure they uphold the highest standards of public service.
Ironically, Speaker Mthembu has been at the forefront of leading the City’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) public participation process — a process the DA and its councillors have consistently chosen to disregard.
While the IDP public participation sessions continue until 12 May 2025, providing residents with a vital opportunity to influence service delivery and budget priorities, DA Ward Councillors have consistently failed to attend or mobilise their communities to participate.
This dereliction of duty directly undermines the democratic process and lays bare the DA’s hypocrisy. It raises a serious question about whether the tabling of this motion is a deliberate attempt to deflect from their own failures at grassroots level.
Instead of engaging meaningfully in governance, the DA has resorted to political grandstanding — issuing motions and press statements while neglecting the very residents they claim to represent.
ActionSA’s Position and Ongoing Commitment
ActionSA reaffirms our commitment to placing residents above political expediency and will not be drawn into reckless acts of destabilisation. As we have consistently done with every matter before Council, we will scrutinise the DA’s motions to determine whether they genuinely serve the public interest.
The DA’s decision to table these motions without first engaging other parties underscores a clear lack of constructive intent. Their refusal to consult, even while knowing that no single party holds a majority and that a successful motion requires 136 Councillors, exposes the performative nature of their actions.
With only 70 Councillors, especially after losing a crucial ward to the Patriotic Alliance, it is evident that the DA’s approach is not about building consensus to address the city’s governance challenges, but rather about grandstanding and undermining any real effort to resolve these issues.
ActionSA believes in building coalitions that serve with purpose and stability and remain committed to working with all stakeholders to strengthen governance wherever possible. A strong case in point is the City of Tshwane, which was on the brink, but now continues to record meaningful progress through focused leadership and collaboration.
Johannesburg does not need more drama or theatrical motions. It needs leadership, service delivery and real accountability. That is the path ActionSA will continue to walk — not in pursuit of headlines or political point-scoring, but guided by a sincere commitment to fix South Africa and put residents first.