Tanya Campbell accepts her axing as Ekurhuleni mayor

Axed Ekurhuleni mayor Tanya Campbell, who lost resoundingly during Thursday’s vote of no confidence in the council, touted her achievements during her 16-month tenure as she accepted defeat. 

Out of 217 votes cast by Ekurhuleni councillors, 126 voted in favour of Campbell’s removal, while 91 voted against. There were three absent councillors and no abstentions during the vote in the 220-person city council.

The ANC has 86 council seats, while the Democratic Alliance, to which Campbell belongs, has 65, the Economic Freedom Fighters 31 and ActionSA, which contested its first elections in November 2021, has 15 seats. The remaining 23 seats are shared among 13 smaller parties, including a ratepayers’ association. 

This was not the first time Campbell had been booted out as Ekurhuleni’s first citizen; she narrowly lost by seven votes in October during the first no confidence vote against her, in another sign of the perilous state of the country’s coalitions in major cities and other councils.  

Then, she promised that the DA would remain a “good opposition” party. On Thursday, the former mayor reiterated that stance following her second removal, vowing to continue working hard for the city’s residents. 

“Now, more than ever, we remain steadfast in our resolve to ensure that residents come first. It may be from the opposition benches, but our commitment to the people of Ekurhuleni remains unwavering,” Campbell said. 

“Given the number of DA seats in council, I knew it was imperative to foster a culture of inclusivity, opposed to the ‘insider versus outsider’ style of governance synonymous with the ANC.”

Gauteng DA chairperson Fred Nel praised Campbell for what he called her “dedication and service to the residents of Ekurhuleni”, echoing Campbell’s acceptance of the results. 

“Whether from [the] government, fighting for service delivery against a politicised civil service, or from the opposition benches in council, fighting for the residents of Ekurhuleni, the DA’s commitment to getting the City of Ekurhuleni back on track will not flag,” Nel said.