Opposition parties in Johannesburg continue to play into the hands of the ANC.
The ANC won just 33% of the vote in Johannesburg but leads the governing coalition, with the help of the EFF.
This week, both the DA and ActionSA announced plans to make different submissions at the next council meeting, effectively calling for the end of the ANC-led coalition.
The parties appear to be divided over their course of action against executive mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
ActionSA wants him removed through a vote of no confidence, while the DA member of the provincial legislature Fred Nel said they want the IEC to hold fresh by-elections for the City of Johannesburg.
"l move for an amendment to the motion of no confidence that has been filed against the mayor. The amendment will call for the motion to be postponed until 2 November, when two years have elapsed and the council will be legally entitled to dissolve itself," said Nel.
He said their motion would lead to by-elections being held "across Joburg within 90 days, giving voters another chance to elect a new, more stable city council".
Instead of supporting ActionSA's motion, the DA said it would campaign for opposition parties to support its motion.
The failure of the DA and the ANC to secure a clear majority in Johannesburg has led to the council being made up of 18 political parties -- with at least eight parties having just one seat.
After the November 2021 municipal elections, the DA was the first to form a coalition to govern the city with Dr Mpho Phalatse as the mayor.
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The coalition held for at least one year before some coalition members -- the Patriotic Alliance, Al Jama-ah and the EFF -- opened negotiations with the ANC.
Stability in the city has also been compromised by parties with one or two seats extorting the ANC and the DA for maximum patronage and senior positions in the council.
Since January 2023, the city has been run by two mayors from Al Jama-ah, a party that received less than 1% of the vote in Johannesburg.
Julius Malema, the leader of the EFF which has seats in the current mayoral committee, said the DA motion will fail.
Meanwhile, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed the ANC in Gauteng to take over the leadership of the coalition in Johannesburg and return ANC candidate Dada Morero to the position of executive mayor.
