DA accused of cheap politicking as Joburg acting city manager’s appointment approved by council

The City of Joburg council has approved the appointment of the metro’s chief operating officer (COO) Tshepo Makola as acting city manager, replacing Floyd Brink.

The decision was made during a council meeting held on Friday at the Johannesburg City Council Chamber in Braamfontein.

Out of the 242 councillors present, 139 voted in favor of Makola’s appointment, 60 opposed it, and 41 abstained.

Two councillors did not participate in the vote.

DA rejects Joburg acting city manager’s appointment

During the sitting, DA councillor Alex Christians opposed Makola’s appointment on the basis that he assumed the city manager position before the Joburg council was consulted.

Christians pointed out that the Municipal Systems Act required the approval of council when making such an appointment.

“The DA will reject this report because we are again failing to follow processes in this council,” he said.

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The councillor referenced Brink’s appointment as an example, highlighting how the DA had previously taken legal action and approached the courts to challenge irregular appointments.

“We are tired of wasting taxpayers’ money by having going to court,” Christians added.

DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku shared the same sentiments.

While the party recognised Makola’s qualifications and experience, Kayser-Echeozonjoku suggested that the appointment was without council’s input.

“The fact that the report brought to council is for noting, we find this particularly strange,” she said.

Joburg acting city manager’s appointment defended

ActionSA also did not support the appointment, while EFF Joburg regional chairperson Sepetlele Raseruthe joked that the city council was being run through the courts.

“Hopefully, I won’t be taken to court,” Raseruthe said.

ANC councillor Tefo Raphadu accused the DA of trying to score “cheap political points”.

“Their actions are a clear indication that their priorities lie elsewhere,” Raphadu said.

He further claimed that the ANC did have the best interests of Joburg residents.

“The DA’s numerous court cases has consistently failed to champion the causes that truly matter to the people.”

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Additionally, group corporate and shared services MMC Loyiso Masuku said the executive abided by the decision of the court.

Masuku highlighted that although the appointment of an acting city manager was the responsibility of council, this can be delegated to the mayor.

She said this delegation was approved by council in a meeting on 19 June 2013.

“The delegations to the executive mayor are over 54 that we have done,” Masuku said.

“There is no reason why we would intentionally bring a report that would be illegally putting this acting appointment in jeopardy for an acting arrangement of three months.”

Brink’s appointment declared invalid

The council approval for Makola comes after the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ruled in early December that Brink’s appointment was unlawful.

Brink was initially appointed as city manager on 23 February 2023.

Before that, he served as the City of Joburg’s chief operating officer (COO) for four years and acted as city manager starting in February 2021.

However, his appointment faced multiple legal setbacks after the DA launched legal action over the matter.

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