By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ActionSA’s caucus leader in Johannesburg, Nobuhle Mthembu has been elected the Speaker of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) metro.
Mthembu’s election follows the resignation of the former council Speaker Margaret Arnolds – who resigned after being appointed to the city’s mayoral committee.
She was backed by the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) coalition. Mthembu was up against the DA’s Nonhlanhla Sifumba, who received 68 of 248 votes.
ActionSA has helped ANC to have a mayor in the metro and now the party had also voted in favour of speaker.
The ANC’s Dada Morero was elected last week as city mayor for the second time – in a dramatic fashion.
Morero is the ninth mayor to be elected in the city since 2016.
Mthembu is from Soweto and has been an ActionSA acitivist for several years.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era, an era focused on restoring our City to its former glory, where service delivery will take centre stage,” she said in her acceptance speech.
“This is an era in which we will instil a culture of accountability and transparency and where, at every turn, we will work together to ensure that the best interests of our residents anchor our efforts.
“We are in rebuilding mode, and the residents of Johannesburg simply cannot be expected to wait any longer for reliable electricity and water to functional traffic lights, refuse removal, and pothole repairs.”
Her election makes her the youngest-ever council speaker in the city.
She said some of her priorities include the rejuvenation of the inner city.
“Tackle corruption, patronage, and wastefulness in the use of resources, ensure strict enforcement of city bylaws, particularly concerning illegal trading and dumping.
“Ensure that accountability is entrenched in a collaborative environment for the effective delivery of services and the restoration of good governance,” she added.
Meanwhile the City of Tshwane’s government could follow in the footsteps of its neighbour to the south, Johannesburg, and see a shakeup in the composition of its executive—if the Gauteng ANC gets its way.
Speaking at a media briefing on 19 August, Gauteng Premier and ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi said that the ANC had been approached to discuss a strategy to take back Tshwane.
The coalitions in Gauteng metros (Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni) have proven tumultuous over the years, with frequent changes in the executive.