ActionSA's caucus leader in Johannesburg, Nobuhle Margaret Mthembu, has been elected Speaker of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) metro. Mthembu, who secured 180 votes, was up against the Democratic Alliance (DA) Nonhlanhla Sifumba, who got 68 votes.

A COLLECTIVE DECISION

ActionSA was supported by other parties, including the ANC, IFP, and EFF, in nominating and seconding Mthembu to be the city's speaker. Mthembu said she is committed to pursuing every effort to ensure that the Council puts in the hard work needed to deliver a city that functions for its residents. "We must all recognise that the city has deteriorated over the past few years, but to save it, we have one option, and that is to act now," Mthembu said. ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said securing the Speaker's position in any municipality, especially the biggest metro like Joburg, in the economic hub of South Africa, is very strategic and important to their party. "When we started the discussions with the ANC, we took the residents into confidence, and we made it clear in the press conference the reasons why we wanted the type of structure we anticipated for the City of Johannesburg, "said Mashaba.

PROMISES 

Mthembu said that Joburg must be a city where lawlessness is met with swift action, where bylaws are not merely suggestions but are strictly adhered to and enforced, and ultimately where the safety of residents is protected. "There must be zero tolerance for corruption, mismanagement and ineptitude. Neither the city nor its residents can afford complacency or failure at this critical time," she said. Mthembu added that due to the urgent need for action, her top priorities are to work with the executive to resolve the billing crisis, ensure the city has the resources and tackle corruption and wastefulness in the use of resources. "We will ensure strict enforcement of city bylaws, particularly illegal trading and dumping, and ensure that accountability is entrenched in a collaborative environment for the effective delivery of services and the restoration of good governance," she concluded.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Former speaker Margaret Arnolds resigned from the position, effective immediately last Friday. The resignation, announced on Saturday, August 17, followed her recent appointment to the position of the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance under the newly elected Mayor Dada Morero. Arnolds expressed gratitude after serving as Speaker for the past nine months. "It has been an honour and privilege to serve the City of Johannesburg in this capacity, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together," she said. Former mayor Kabelo Gwamanda has been appointed MMC for community development after his resignation last week.