Note to Editors: Please find footage of the proceedings outside of court, here
The DA is in Court today to ensure that the City of Johannesburg, under the ActionSA-EFF-ANC coalition stops spending money on politicians instead of service delivery.
When the VIP Protection Policy was brought to council, we raised our objection and concerns that this is a violation of the Municipal Systems Act – and today we are challenging it in Court.
For too long, residents of Johannesburg have suffered with:
- Dry taps;
- Broken traffic lights;
- Unstable electricity supply;
- Crumbling services, and ironically; and
- Completely broken roads that this new VIP policy will see fancy cars and bodyguards whisking Joburg’s leadership around.
The policy we are challenging would see the Mayor and his Executive driving around the broken roads with bodyguards and blue lights, at a cost wildly outside of the allowable upper limits. And residents will be forced to pay for it.
When residents call the City’s public safety department, it’s a miracle if the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) arrive. Yet the ActionSA-EFF-ANC coalition wants to allocate protection services to politicians.
The MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) even cautioned the City as early as February 2024 that they are in violation of the Constitutional upper limits and the Municipal Systems Act, with this VIP policy, but even this did not stop the City from bringing this flawed policy to council.
Despite efforts through the Section 79 Committees rejecting this policy, it found its way to council, without clear details on the exact cost implications to the residents of Johannesburg.
It can never be allowed in Johannesburg, that VIP protection services are extended to chairpersons, without a risk assessment ever being done. This will effectively turn personal protection services into a glorified chauffeur, for individuals who are under no risk.
Today, as this case is being heard, your voices as the residents of Johannesburg are being heard, and we are doing this on behalf of all of Johannesburg.
We are asking the court to review this flawed VIP Protection policy and for it to be set aside. The DA is pushing to stop your money being spent on Joburg’s politicians.
We will also pursue the possibility of personal financial liability on relevant officials and politicians for the cost incurred for this VIP scandal, after a very instructive landmark judgment a few days ago on personal liability of this kind.
The DA will not allow lawmakers to steam roll unlawful decisions through council in the name of keeping coalitions together at the expense of the residents of Johannesburg.
Judgement in this matter has been reserved. We trust that the rule of law will be upheld.