Joburg’s merry-go-round of mayors could jump into 2024

The merry-go-round of mayors in Johannesburg could spin into the New Year with the DA proposing a dissolution of council at the beginning of 2024.

DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku told The Citizen the party would be bringing in a fresh motion for the dissolution of council which if supported by a majority of council would mean fresh elections in the City of Johannesburg.

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Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the DA in Johannesburg saw no other way to save the City of Johannesburg except to have fresh elections.

“Thus revolving door of mayors will not work. We cannot be changing mayors and speakers all the time. We can not be working with coalition partners that chop and change their minds whenever they feel like it,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said.

She said it was clear that service delivery in Johannesburg had collapsed with evidence of huge potholes in the CBD, unresolved billing issues and problems at the municipal water utility, Johannesburg Water.

“Things are being dug up and there are holes just left there if you drive through the CBD there is no refuse collection I do not know what they are doing there is also illegal dumping all over the City,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said.

Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the DA preferred the fresh elections to be separate from the national and provincial elections which would take place before June next year.

“We want this process to happen divorced from the national elections so that there is no confusion,” she said.

Since the beginning of 2023 Johannesburg has had at least four mayors with one mayor lasting less than a month.

After the DA’a Mpho Phalatse was voted out as mayor Dada Morero was elected mayor but this was short-lived. He was ousted through a court order that found that proper processes had not been followed in electing Morero and removing Phalatse.

After a small set back the ANC and its partners were able to remove Phalatse and replaced her with Al-Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad who also lasted less than 100 days in office. He was removed for incompetence.

Amad was then succeeded by his comrade Kabelo Gwamanda who is also a member of Al-Jama-ah he is still on the mayoral throne.