The haunting of Joburg – The ghosts of administrations past
JoburgCAN attends the Johannesburg City Council meetings and reports back to residents on how the City is governing.
It has been a busy week for the Johannesburg City council after Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda resigned – with a promise to remain in the position until the speaker held an extraordinary meeting for councillors to vote for a replacement. No time was wasted and by the end of the week we were called to gather for a vote late Friday afternoon.
In press conferences throughout the week the provincial and local chapters of the ANC, Al Jama-ah (the minority party of the outgoing mayor) and Action SA all tried to set the record straight on where blame lay for the current crises in the City of Joburg. Through the noise it was clear that despite being responsible for the promotion of minority parties with minimal mandates from residents, nobody was taking accountability.
Despite the best efforts of speaker Margaret Arnold’s to begin the 15h30 meeting promptly and to remind councillors of the packed dignitary laden gallery observing them, nominations for mayor, which was the only agenda item, only began an hour later.
Voting for a mayor is done by the sitting 270 councillors of the City and overseen by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The position was contested between Democratic Alliance candidate Belinda Echeozonjoku, the caucus leader, and Sello Enoch Dada Morero, the ANC regional chairperson, MMC for Finance and mayor for 25 days in 2023. Morero was nominated by five parties namely the ANC, Action SA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Patriotic Alliance (PA), and the IFP. The DA nominated and seconded their candidate. Action SA and the IFP were members of the Multi-Party Charter with the DA, voting on matters in opposition to the ANC government of local unity, however Action SA tabled their own mayoral candidate when Morero last became mayor, splitting the alliance and removing the DA’s Mpho Phalatse as mayor.
The DA tabled a motion without notice to dissolve the council stating that the political instability in the City means that the mandate and make-up for council should be redecided by residents. The motion was ignored.
Once the nominations were accepted a temporary voting station was erected on the council floor, councillors were marked off the voting roll, had to produce photo identification and marked on their right hand with indelible ink. Counting began at 18h40.
253 of the 270 councillors voted. 4 ballots were spoiled. Morero won by 189 votes to Echeozonjoku’s 60.
Morero then caused a stir by immediately announcing his committee after taking the oath of office. The Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC’s) are:
- Finance: Cllr Margaret Arnolds (AIC, 2 seats) Former Speaker replaces Morero in portfolio
- Group Corporate and Shared Services: Cllr Loyiso Masuku (ANC, 90 seats) Unchanged
- Environment and Infrastructure Services: Cllr Jack Sekwaila (ANC, 90 seats) Unchanged
- Public Safety: Cllr Mgcini Tshwaku (EFF, 29 seats) Unchanged
- Development Planning: Cllr Eunice Mgcina (ANC, 90 seats) Unchanged
- Economic Development: Cllr Nomoya Daphney Mnisi (ANC, 90 seats) Unchanged
- Human Settlements: Cllr Mlungisi Mabaso (IFP, 7 seats) Returns after being ousted by ANC in 2023
- Transport: Cllr Kenny Kunene (PA, 9 seats) Unchanged
- Health and Social Development: Cllr Ennie Makhafola (EFF, 29 seats) Unchanged
- Community Development: Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda (Al Jama-ah, 3 seats) Former mayor replaces minority party MMC Cecil Magwentshu from the ATM (1 seat)
While Arnolds seemed visibly shaken by the revelation that she was no longer speaker, and tendered her resignation from the speaker position after council closed, the only changes in the committee from Gwamanda to Morero were the inclusion of Gwamanda himself and the speaker Arnolds as well as the re-inclusion of former DA coalition partner from the IFP MMC Mabaso. Despite promises to “reconstitute” local government in Johannesburg by ANC secretary Sasabona Manganye who claimed the ANC was haunted by service delivery in the city, the ghosts of committees past are still very much in place. Any serious attempt to consequence manage the portfolios or departments was missed and the new administration is the same old business as usual.
JoburgCAN believes that Joburg residents should work together and lay the blame where it belongs, with the City council. The administration of the City and service delivery will not improve until the council and its executive face the reality of their inaction. We believe it is time to stop the political favours, and for national government through COGTA and SALGA to step up in Joburg.
Council will sat again on Wednesday 21 August for yet another extraordinary meeting (of the most expensive council meetings in the country to host) to elect a new speaker. ActionSA caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu was nominated by her own party and the ANC, while the DA nominated former MMC and DA Councillor Nonhlanhla Sifumba. Of the 252 votes cast Mthembu was elected by 180 votes to 68. After taking the oath of office the speaker said she was proud to be the youngest women elected to the post during woman’s month. Mthembu went on to say it was the duty of the legislature to hold the executive to account and she would strive to represent the interests of the residents of Johannesburg. It was noted however by the EFF Councillor Ngwenya that Mthembu failed to raise the scrapping of the R230 prepaid service charge, an apparent condition of ActionSA to work with the ANC coalition. JoburgCAN will follow this closely and ensure pressure is applied to stick to this policy review.
JoburgCAN is an initiative of OUTA, for and by the residents of the City of Joburg.