Joburg urgently needs a new mayor to deliver services

29 July 2021

It has now been over 20 days since the former mayor of Joburg passed, and there is no indication on when a date will be set to elect the new mayor who will be responsible for delivering services. We were hoping that the Speaker would do the right thing and announce the date at today's special memorial meeting, but it seems that factional battles are holding our city back.

The mayor of any city is ultimately responsible for service delivery, and they govern a city with their Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs). As the political leadership they are held accountable to residents through the work of councillors in Council. This is the cornerstone of our democracy. Without a mayor, there is no-one to hold accountable for service delivery, especially the lack of it.

At the moment we are still facing a power crisis: our Spokesperson on Electricity and Water, Cllr Nikki van Dyk, had to intervene this week to help restore power to 160 residents in Randburg who had been sitting in the dark during this cold snap for three days. We need to be able to call out the MMC who is responsible for City Power's failures, and push him to provide residents with the services that they deserve.

Our current situation has shown that there is a definite gap in our laws which allow for a city to be left without a mayor and their cabinet for an indefinite amount of time. After a municipal election the new Council has to elect a mayor within 14 days, but the only requirement when one steps down or passes away is that the post is “filled when necessary”.

We will keep putting pressure on the Speaker to do the right thing and stop abusing her office for political ends. She must call an urgent meeting to elect the new mayor within the next five working days. Democracy in Johannesburg and residents being able to get quality services depends on it.

Issued by Leah Knott, DA Joburg Caucus Leader, 29 July 2021