Johannesburg’s 5-million residents could face further service delivery disruptions after Tuesday’s meeting of the DA-led city council descended into chaos when members clashed over the appointment of the heads of various portfolio committees.
The assembly was convened after a meeting last Thursday, the first since November’s local elections, was called off amid heated exchanges over the voting procedure for the chairpersons of portfolio committees, and the so-called chair of chairs — the official who manages all council committees.
Tuesday’s reconvened meeting that started at 10am was no different as councillors from various political parties raised frivolous objections and asked for 30-minute breaks to caucus members.
Councillors from opposition parties including the African Independent Congress (AIC) and the ANC stormed the council floor in the afternoon, raising clenched fists and singing struggle songs as the police and officials from the JMPD officials gathered outside the chambers. EFF councillors taunted speaker Vasco da Gama saying they would not be cowed because “we are combat ready”.
The disgruntled councillors wanted voting to be conducted via a secret ballot, while the DA coalition favoured of voting by a show of hands. Thursday’s meeting was called off over the same issue.
The disruptions could have severe consequences for the functioning of the council and the implementation of the city’s 2022/2023 budget as residents already contend with a host of service delivery challenges, including housing, water and sanitation, electricity and pothole issues.
Joburg is the country’s biggest metro with a budget of R73.3bn for 2021/2022 and contributes almost 20% to national GDP and about 40% to the economy of Gauteng, SA’s economic hub.
ANC caucus leader and former executive mayor Mpho Moerane said the DA-led alliance running Johannesburg was in “disarray” and the result was a “dysfunctional” city council.
“The DA is not in control of their coalition,” Moerane told Business Day during the council meeting.
His comments will add pressure on the governing coalition that includes COPE, the IFP, the ACDP, ActionSA, the Freedom Front Plus, and the Patriotic Alliance which has pledged to improve efficiency and service delivery in SA’s richest metro.
Moerane said the dysfunctionality could hamper the legislature from playing an oversight role on the executive, and said the ANC caucus was “committed to make council work and we will do everything to make it work”.
At 5.30pm, Patriotic Alliance councillor Ashley Sauls rose and said: “We are wasting time and taxpayers money, we can’t sit here all day and subject ourselves to the art of politics. Speaker ... the EFF does not run these chambers. The EFF can’t act as though they are in charge of the chamber. The EFF doesn’t run this city. Speaker, take control of this chamber. The EFF are showing a clear disregard to the rules of this council.”
Da Gama said: “We cannot sit all day and discuss this issue [of how voting should be done].”
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