ANC rejects attempt to oust Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says the party’s national executive does not support the attempted removal of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero. 
 
Morero is facing another motion of no confidence in the city council on Thursday, this time brought by Al Jama-ah. 
 
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday following this past weekend’s party, Lekgotla, Mbalula says the ANC is looking for stability ahead of the local government elections. 
 
He says the party has engaged its coalition partners to iron out sticking points around governance and not to be dictated to about who the mayor should be.
 
"We are focused now on the task. Who wants to stabilise the government ten months before an election? We don’t know when the election will be, but we presume it will be in November or December. But it’s ten months. All political parties are now focusing on their tasks in preparing and gearing themselves for local government elections. We are busy here destabilising government. Bring a new mayor. What is that mayor going to do?
 
Morero lost his position as Johannesburg regional chairperson to Loyiso Masuku last month and has written to the party’s executive complaining of vote-rigging. 
 
But Mbalula is cautioning against allegations of electoral irregularities, saying evidence appears to be scant. 
 
"This notion that a conference that was democratically held, successfully so, is under attack is just absolute hogwash. Those in the ANC who are doing this and leading the charge without an iota of evidence are just undisciplined.