The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg notes with grave concern the extraordinary council sitting called by the City Manager to elect a new Council Speaker at the expense of residents and ratepayers.
The DA will not be complicit in such a waste of money and will therefore not be attending the meeting. Our position remains clear, the Johannesburg council must be dissolved and we will not give legitimacy to the doomsday coalition while they are being frivolous with the taxpayers’ money.
This, whilst we are waiting for the City Manager’s appeal to be heard on the 22nd of November 2023.
Residents of Johannesburg are already paying for the City’s appeal on the ruling on the City Manager. Now ratepayers must pay for an extraordinary meeting that can cost up to R600 000.
There is an ordinary Council sitting scheduled for 29 and 30 November 2023 – in one week’s time. There is no reason the Speaker’s election should not take place the morning of that meeting. In a cash-strapped metro, spending R600 000 is no laughing matter.
We have been clear – the revolving door of Mayors and Speakers will not change Johannesburg’s dire situation. Both the Executive and legislative arms of the council have failed the residents of Johannesburg – the only solution is the Dissolution of the Council.
Residents of Johannesburg deserve a chance to take back their city from the corruption and ineptness that has come to be the order of the day.