Dissolution of Joburg council on the cards

Dissolution of Joburg council on the cards

The dissolution of the City of Joburg council could be on the cards if the DA in Joburg has its way.

Last week, the DA boycotted the extraordinary sitting that elected Margaret Arnolds as the new speaker.

Arnolds was elected unopposed to the position after it became vacant, following Cope’s decision to fire Colleen Makhubele as its representative in the council.

The party cited wasteful expenditure as the reason not to participate in the recent sitting.

In a statement on Friday, DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the DA had received confirmation that its motion to dissolve the city council had been cleared by the programming committee.

“The DA in Johannesburg has received official confirmation that our motion to dissolve the Johannesburg Council has been successfully cleared by the programming committee and is set to be tabled by the end of November. This pivotal development marks a critical juncture for the political landscape of the City,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said.

Kayser-Echeozonjoku said service delivery had worsened due to leadership squabbles and cadre deployment.

“Johannesburg has regrettably become synonymous with cadre deployment, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and a systematic avoidance of accountability.

“Despite numerous attempts to address these failures within the council, the coalition has hidden behind superficial displays of activity for the cameras. The result is a city in crisis, with service delivery in a downward spiral, unpaid contractors, and sewage spills plaguing our streets. The current government’s negligence demonstrates a lack of genuine concern for the residents of Johannesburg,” she said.

She said the motion to dissolve the council would be in the best interests of the citizens of the once-glorious city who were suffering under the current leadership crisis.

“As voices from civil society join our call for the dissolution of the council, the residents of Johannesburg stand at the precipice of a crucial decision. This DA motion will allow the speaker and all political parties to reveal their true commitment to service delivery and the well-being of our city’s residents.

“It is increasingly evident that stability in Johannesburg can only be achieved through the dissolution of the council. The DA remains resolute in its mission to give the voters of Johannesburg the opportunity to choose a path of responsible and accountable governance for the future of our beloved city,” she said.

The Star

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