Johannesburg - A Mogale City Democratic Alliance councillor has resigned following a voluntary lie detector test on Monday.
DA councillors underwent lie detector testing voluntarily to determine who had voted with the ANC to depose former mayor Michael Holenstein, DA Gauteng leader John Moodey told News24.
However, DA councillor Brandon May did not go through with the test and instead sent his letter of resignation to the speaker of council, the ANC's Patrick Lipuli, on Tuesday afternoon.
Moodey said May's resignation was not related to the testing.
"He has been having personal problems for a while. He had indicated that he wants to resign because of his own personal reasons and the fact that he was no longer a member of the mayoral committee. I believe that there was a job offer with better remuneration."
Moodey, however, admitted that May's resignation raised suspicion.
Earlier, the council could not reach a quorum and had to be postponed. DA, Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party and Freedom Front Plus councillors did not attend the sitting.
Moodey said the DA had decided to boycott council because they refused to elect an "illegitimate mayor". He said the DA was prepared for the municipality to go under administration to prevent the ANC from electing an "illegitimate" mayor.
Secret ballot
The DA wants the vote for the mayor to be public, but Lipuli had ordered that it be a secret ballot.
"That, while the majority of council want an open ballot. It suits his purpose for the election to have a secret ballot," Moodey said.
He said the ANC was trying to buy votes, and that was why they wanted a secret ballot.
The next sitting is scheduled for June 28, but the DA said it was planning to boycott it.
"Until such time the Cogta MEC Paul Mashatile steps in and does what he needs to, and that is to correct this circumstances in this municipality," Moodey said.
The DA was planning to take the matter to court, to force council to elect the new mayor in an open ballot.
"The actions of the DA have always been on the interest of the people of Mogale City. If it goes under administration, it will be the will of the ANC."
Last week, on Tuesday June 6, Holenstein was ousted with 39 votes in favour of the motion of no confidence. A total of 38 councillors voted against the motion and one deferred.
The ANC has 38 seats in the council, the EFF nine, the IFP two, and the FF Plus one.
May could not be reached for comment.
