DA to challenge ActionSA for Joburg speaker post

The DA will fight its former municipal coalition ally ActionSA for the speaker post in the City of Johannesburg during a special council meeting on Wednesday.

This is despite the blue party initially calling for a dissolution of council and overhaul of its structure which would require a two-thirds majority. The move fell flat for lack of support last week.

The DA announced early on Wednesday it would field Nonhlanhla Sifumba to contest the newfound government of local unity formation consisting of the ANC, EFF, IFP, minority parties and now ActionSA.

The move by the DA is unlikely to cause any changes in the Dada Morero-led council. 

Last week, the DA fielded caucus leader Belinda Echeozonjoku to contest the ANC's Morero, who won the mayoral chain with overwhelming support.

The AIC's Margaret Arnolds vacated the speaker post to take up the finance MMC job.

ActionSA announced caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu would be nominated for the speaker position with the support of the government of local unity.

TimesLIVE understands the decision was finalised during a meeting on Monday.

Mthembu would be the first from her party to occupy this position.

Echeozonjoku said her party still believed the best solution is for the Johannesburg council to be dissolved and fresh elections held for residents to supply council with a new mandate.

However, the shutting down of their motion leaves them no choice but to offer an alternative to the status quo, she said.

“We nominated a DA mayoral candidate last week. Today [Wednesday] we are faced with the same decision. The position of speaker in council is one that comes with enormous responsibility. The role must be filled by someone with the requisite experience.”

The DA, also the official opposition in council, said its preferred candidate is an experienced third term councillor and former mayoral committee member.

“She has sound understanding of the executive and the legislative functions of the council, which will enable her to make sound judgments, while putting the residents of Johannesburg first.

“We are committed to offering an alternative to decay and will always put the residents of Johannesburg first while holding the executive to account. In this spirit, we call on all parties in council to support the DA’s candidate for speaker.”

TimesLIVE