Johannesburg’s New Kleptocratic MAYCOM Might Be a “price too high to pay”, but ActionSA Promises to Be Constructive Opposition

Contrary to DA Leader, John Steenhuisen’s assertion that saving Former Mayor Phalatse was a “price too high to pay”, the announcement of City of Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Amad’s Mayoral Committee might be the real price too high to pay for the residents of our great city.

This announcement validates ActionSA’s suspicion that his election was solely the result of the ANC aiming to regain its hands on the city’s R77 billion budget, and for smaller political parties to gain access to patronage networks.

Having said this, residents of Johannesburg will find comfort that the ActionSA JHB Caucus is ready to defend the interests of all the residents of Johannesburg both on the ground and in council, and to ensure that corruption and maladministration is exposed and limited whenever it occurs. Our councillors will hold this administration to account to ensure that the interests of the people of Johannesburg is protected.

With the kleptocratic ANC now in control of the finance and infrastructure services portfolios, and the EFF – who once encouraged its supporters to illegally occupy property – being in control of Public Safety portfolio, the new Mayoral Committee confirms that access to power was prioritised above the needs of residents.

ActionSA will ensure that the gains achieved by the multiparty government are not reversed, these being the extended public safety initiatives like the deployment of metro police across the city to conduct block patrol, the implementation of the informal trade policy to ensure order and accountability in our informal trade sector, and the investments made in the construction of hundreds of kilometres of new roads in the city.

And it is regrettable that the ANC and EFF gained access to the inner workings of the city through the DA’s refusal to make concessions which would have ensured a majority in council.

ActionSA maintain that keeping the PA in the coalition government was in better interest of residents than handing over the entire city administration to the ANC and EFF.

ActionSA, as a constructive opposition, will diligently exercise its oversight responsibilities to ensure that political cronies is limited as far possible, and that our residents continue to receive the basic services they deserve.

Through questions in council, and mobilising our ward activist to place pressure on local officials, ActionSA will ensure that the current administration doesn’t have a free reign on power, and that residents get the assistance they need.

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