The mayor of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse, has rubbished allegations that she was involved in a drug rehab scandal that led to a motion of no confidence being tabled to get her out of the mayoral seat.
Phalatse managed to dodge the motion of no confidence on two occasions; in one event, the courts returned her to the mayoral seat after it was discovered that certain processes were flouted in the tabling of the motion.
This week, Phalatse managed to dodge the motion of no confidence once more after threatening the speaker’s office with lawyers papers, threatening to interdict the extraordinary council that was scheduled for November 3.
Phalatse is accused of availing funds to the Field Band Foundation, an NGO that had been tasked with dealing with issues of drug addiction in Johannesburg.
The Public Protector found that she and the mayor at the time, Herman Mashaba, were guilty of wrongdoing concerning the granting of more than R11 million to the Field Band Foundation.
The grant was discretionary, but opposition parties complained that the NGO had no history of working with drug addicts and also complained that the mayor at the time had personal ties to the foundation.
"I was never accused in the matter. In the PP report, there were no findings against me. I see politicians thumb sucking, trying to find something against me. The matter is between Herman Mashaba and the PP," Phalatse said.
Phalatse argued that the Field Band Foundation issue was not a good enough reason to get her out of the mayoral position. Instead, she said she had had countless interviews with the Hawks and other law enforcement agencies.
"My last interviews with the Hawks were in 2019, 2018 — I can't remember — and I have not heard from them since," Phalatse said.
Meanwhile, Phalatse said she would allow a motion of no confidence against her if it was done in a legal manner.
"The matter is in the courts, and we need to allow the process to unfold. If a motion is brought in council legally and observes the laws of the council, there is no need to challenge it. The only reason we challenged this motion is because it was done illegally," Phalatse said.
Phalatse said the DA was in negotiations with other parties nationally and locally to try and get the much-needed numbers that would be essential in fighting the motion of no confidence when it comes.
Mashaba has confirmed that the Field Band Foundation matter is being challenged in court. He said the matter would be headed to court early next year.
On the other hand, the ANC said there were two other reasons that would fuel the inevitable motion of no confidence against Phalatse.