Dissolution of council and fresh elections - Joburg's only solution

16 August 2024

As the Johannesburg City Council meets today to elect its 11th Mayor in 8 years, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will once again call for the dissolution of the Council and a new election, to enable voters to make a fresh start for South Africa's beleaguered financial capital.

Given the merry-go-round of mayors, who have tried and failed to hold together Johannesburg's unwieldy and ungovernable coalitions, it is time to recognise that the 2021 local election delivered such a fragmented result, that it has proved almost impossible to put together a workable government.

When this kind of impasse arises in other democracies, a solution is often found in giving voters the chance to rectify the situation in a new election.

The DA believes the same must now happen in Johannesburg, to stop the City's further unravelling.

Currently, Johannesburg's resident have to watch from the sidelines as service delivery continues to crumble. Many have no water or electricity or refuse removal.

When a City can no longer deliver on basic services, the province is obliged to act. It will not help to put Johannesburg under the administration of an ANC-run province, so the only viable remedy is dissolution.

It is only by putting the power back into the hands of the people who live in the city that a new council can be elected that will be more responsive to residents.

For a city where roads blow up or disappear in sinkholes, where water and power outages and refuse pileups have become the norm, time has run out for political games for which residents pay the price.

We call on all parties in Council with the interest of residents at heart, to support our motion for dissolution.

Issued by Belida Kayser-Echeozonjoku, DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader, 16 August 2024