'Political games only paralyse service delivery': DA, ActionSA slam ANC/EFF alliance for Joburg mayor delay tactics

ActionSA and the DA have expressed anger at what they deem to be theatrics of the ANC/EFF coalition, which they claim has led to the delay that has seen Johannesburg remain without a mayor.

On Tuesday, the Johannesburg council meeting to elect a new executive mayor was postponed until Friday after it was marred by delays due to caucus breaks.

The EFF, ANC, minority parties and Al Jama-ah all stood to request separate caucuses throughout the day which resulted in the speaker adjourning the meeting, saying it was clear councillors were not ready to elect a mayor.

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the city being without a mayor was to the detriment of service delivery to the city’s more than four million residents.

“After the ANC-EFF coalition called a council meeting to elect a mayor, it was they who perpetually delayed council proceedings for caucus meetings, and again proves that they are wholly unable to provide the necessary leadership to restore good governance,” he said.

The only victims of the ANC and EFF's day-long delay tactics were the people of the city, said Beaumont. “It is clear the ANC-EFF is concerned about their majority in council and therefore delayed council proceedings, costing the city close to R800,000 which could’ve been spent on service delivery.”

He said the ANC harped on about restoring good governance but did little to ensure it. “It is precisely because of [Gauteng] premier [Panyaza] Lesufi’s backhanded dealings and compromised candidates that residents of Johannesburg are finding themselves in this situation.”

The DA shared ActionSA's disappointment with the delay tactics, dubbing the caucus breaks a “political game”. Former mayor and DA Johannesburg caucus leader Mpho Phalatse said they were ready to elect a mayor and hit the ground running but were seeing delay after delay.

“The ANC coalition’s quest for power overshadows the needs of residents. Political games only paralyse service delivery,” she said.

Phalatse has been named as the DA’s candidate for the city’s top job, while ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni has confirmed the support of not only his but also its former coalition partners as well.

Meanwhile, insiders said the deadlock was between COPE wanting to field current speaker Colleen Makhubele, Al Jama-ah — former mayor Thapelo Amad’s party — seeking to replace Amad with its candidate, Kabelo Gwamanda, and an ANC faction wanting to take national instructions on a candidate. The ANC/EFF and minority parties are believed to have agreed to field Al Jama-ah’s Gwamanda as the government of local unity coalition candidate.

The next attempt to elect a mayor of the City of Joburg is scheduled to take place on Friday.

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