EFF threats are just ‘politicking’, says new Joburg mayor Makhubo

The ANC’s Geoff Makhubo, the newly elected Johannesburg mayor, has said his administration will not be phased by the possibility of not passing the city’s adjustment budget in February 2020, following threats by the EFF that it would not support budgets tabled by the mayor.

The EFF noted “with sadness” Makhubo’s election as the new mayor of Johannesburg on Wednesday.

The red berets’ leader, Julius Malema, told The Sowetan that the EFF would not support budgets tabled by Makhubo because the latter’s party had refused to accede to demands to field a different candidate for the mayoral post.

Following Makhubo’s election, EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu on Wednesday said the new mayor was extremely compromised.

Last year, a report by investigative journalism centre amaBhungane accused Makhubo of having earned R30 million as an “influence broker” in a deal between the City of Johannesburg and controversial Gupta-linked company Regiments Capital.

During a media briefing on Thursday, Makhubo said he was confident that the city would pass its adjustment budget next year and that “everyone will have a stake in that budget”.

He said that they wanted to bring back free minimum water supplies to residents, refocus on electrifying townships and develop accountable, clean governance.

“The threat that we won’t pass the budget, for me, it’s politicking. When you get down to the nuts and bolts, we will be able to pass the budget,” Makhubo said.

He said his administration “will be an all-encompassing government” and that the ANC in the city council would hold talks with all the parties represented in it, including the EFF and the DA.

Makhubo said he could not confirm whether some DA councillors had voted for him as the vote had been by way of secret ballot.

“All I know is that I voted for myself,” Makhubo said.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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