Ahead of Wednesday’s State of the City Address, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has submitted motions of no confidence in City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and Council Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu.

DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku stated that her party believed that under the current leadership, basic services were crumbling and communities were being neglected.

Kayser-Echeozonjoku accused Morero of failing citizens of the City, and claimed that his administration had been marked by “mismanagement, patronage networks, and a disturbing lack of transparency”.

“Equally troubling is the Speaker's failure to uphold her constitutional role as an impartial guardian of council processes. Instead of ensuring fair and robust oversight, she has consistently shielded the mayor, undermining council's ability to hold the executive accountable,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku added.

She accused Mthembu of being biased, which she sayid had “stifled critical decision-making, suppressed legitimate scrutiny, and eroded the democratic integrity of the council chamber”.

She said Mthembu’s actions, showed that she was no longer independent and that she is "a political ally of the mayor”.

Kayser-Echeozonjoku went on to claim that between Morero and Mthembu, council had turned into what she termed a political playground, while she said residents suffered the consequences of poor governance.

“We owe it to every resident to fight for a council that works, a mayor who leads, and a speaker who upholds the rules with fairness and impartiality. We urge all councillors, irrespective of party affiliation, to support the DA's motions and join us in fighting for a city that works for all its people,” the party highlighted.