‘I inherited a city in tatters’ – Joburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda

City of Joburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda once again took a swipe at the former DA-led coalition government in the metro.

During the council’s State of the City debate on Tuesday, Al Jama-ah’s Gwamanda appeared to be in good health after falling ill last week.

Judging from the responses of political parties, Gwamanda’s address appears to have been warmly received by most opposition parties.

ALSO READ: Joburg Soca: ‘Coalitions under DA focused on settling political scores’ – Gwamanda

Gwamanda: ‘I am a gift from my ancestors’

The mayor responded to ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni, who, during the State of the City Address last week, told Gwamanda that he had “inherited a BMW and he would be expected to make it bigger”.

Responding to Ngobeni, Gwamanda agreed but said the DA-led multi-party government had turned a BMW into scrap and left it immobile.

“The multi-party government left the city without a manager, a group financial officer and a chief operating officer,” said Gwamanda.

“These three critical components: they practically looted the engine, the gearbox and the wheels. Mine is not an inherited BMW, but rather an inherited city in tatters.”

After telling the house that he is not a native English speaker, he went on to deliver part of his address in his mother tongue.

“I am a gift from my ancestors to this modern-day struggle,” Gwamanda went on to say.

“I am indeed cognisant of the fact that my ascension to this office comes low in the title, I have only been in the big car for a little over a month, and I have, for the most part, experienced and interacted with the inner city in a way that might be inconceivable to someone like you.”

ALSO READ: ActionSA calls for Joburg Mayor to come clean on scammer allegations

This comment irked some councillors, who interrupted Gwamanda, saying he shouldn’t “speak down to people” and must be respectful.

But speaker Colleen Makhubele reprimanded everyone in the house for interrupting the mayor.

“It was made clear in this house that we will not tell people how to debate. Executive, they were calling on you to respond, they were in the media, and everybody was calling my office to find out whether you would be here to respond or not.

“The mayor is here and responding to you; please give him a chance to respond. I am not saying this for a clap and a shout; this is a fact. He needs an opportunity to respond,” said Makhubele sternly, ending the murmurs of discontent.

ALSO READ: ActionSA calls for Joburg Mayor to come clean on scammer allegations

Ponzi scheme allegations

Gwamanda did not address allegations that he was involved in a Ponzi scheme; instead, he quoted Ben Parker’s character (Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben) from the first hit movie in the franchise starring Tobey Maguire.

The wall crawler’s uncle famously told a newly mined Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility”.

“There is a fine distinction between fact and fiction, service delivery and grandstanding, leadership and acting, but most importantly, the blurred distinction between news reporting and driving sponsored narratives, with power comes responsibility.”

Gwamanda said laws and regulation governing his office does not expect him to subject himself to the scrutiny of social media and media houses for interrogation.

He ended the address by seemingly paraphrasing another Marvel character, Iron Man, who famously declares to his arch-enemy, Thanos, in Avengers: Endgame, “I am Iron Man”.

“In conclusion, Madame Speaker, I am councillor Gwamanda, the duly elected executive mayor,” declared Gwamanda (in his best Tony Stark impression).

ALSO READ: Joburg mayor ‘not running away’, will tackle media next week

What political parties had to say

The African Transformation Movement welcomed Gwamanda’s address, describing it as “proper”.

The Good Party said it remains concerned about the state of the city’s finances, which reflect the problems of service delivery on the ground.

It called on the mayor to focus on generating more revenue for the metro. The party also called for clarity on plans to buy more power from the Kelvin Power Station.

The City of Joburg currently buys over 80% of its power from Eskom and only 13% from Kelvin.

The EFF congratulated Gwamanda for being the youngest mayor in Joburg’s history and lauded his background as similar to that of an ordinary African from a similar economic background.

But it asked the mayor to prioritise the city’s poorest people, particularly in the informal settlements.

Patriotic Alliance commended Gwamanda for hitting back at the DA-led multiparty coalition, saying the city, under its leadership, was not without blemish and was heading for financial ruin.

ANC described Gwamanda’s address as inspiring, saying he gave an honest account of the city’s state. The party agreed that residents needed to come first after months of bickering over who controls SA’s economic hub.