Geostinah Mokoena

Attendance

Present

65

Leave of absence

0

Absent without leave

0

Arrived late

1

Left early

1

"Absent without leave" means the signed minutes of a meeting held while they were on council neither list them as present nor excuse them, and no similar name appears that day, so misspellings in the minutes don't count against anyone. Each square links to the minutes.

In the chamber

From the 10 sittings transcribed so far in their term. Times are approximate, to the nearest transcript line.

Not present when called

1

Times given the floor

1

Average wait to start

3 s

Average greetings first

0 s

Not present when called (1)

• 27 Aug 2026 · 00:34:19EFF speaker not present; another EFF councillor spoke on her behalf. sitting

In their words

Every time the chair gave them the floor in a transcribed sitting (1), newest first. The words are the AI transcript of that stretch of the livestream (Argon), so they can include the chair or an interjection; the time link is the place to check.

• 26 Aug 2026 · 08:40:0447 · 4 min 10 s

  Read what they said (471 words)

  Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, Item 47 asks Council to confer the Alderman title on long-serving current and former councillors. The EFF recognises that institutional memory and sustained

  Can you please speak into the mic, Councillor?

  The EFF recognises that the institutional memory and sustained public service have value. But as we approach the end of political term, we must also say something uncomfortable. Longevity in office must never be confused with service to the people. A title can recognise years served; history will judge what was done with those years. The revised policy establishes

  an objective threshold at at least 20 points. A councillor receives one point for each year of municipal service, additional points for every 10 years served, and higher weighting for service as an MMC, Section 79 Chairperson, Opposition Leader, Chief Whip, Speaker, Mayor, and Chair of Chairs. The report is also clear that membership of political term must not automatically qualify anyone. Records

  must be verified, including service in other municipalities. That insistence on verifiable evidence is important and should be defended. The first phase identifies 19 serving councillors from the 2021 to 2026 term and 33 former councillors from the term 2016 to 2021 term, while older records are still being progressively verified. The EFF supports the principle that the same criteria

  must apply to everyone and that no person should be excluded merely because historical records take longer to verify. Recognition cannot be credible if the process is selective, politically manipulated, or based on incomplete records. But Speaker, the EFF 2026 Local Government Election Manifesto reminds us what meaningful councillor service actually

  looks like. It records EFF councillors fighting corruption, defending poor communities, expanding access to free basic services, securing infrastructure, protecting people against unlawful eviction, and demanding accountability from mayors and municipal managers. The manifesto says the work of the EFF councillor must build capable, developmental, and people municipalities. That is a far higher political test

  than simply accumulating points through years and position. This is why we say the Alderman title must never become a retirement medal for occupying office while communities remain without water, electricity, housing, roads, and dignity. A person may satisfy the administrative threshold of this policy,

  30 seconds.

  but residents will still ask: When taps were dry, where were you? When corruption stole from the poor, did you speak? When informal settlements burned, when unemployment destroyed households, and when municipal services collapsed, what did your years in Council produce? Those questions cannot be answered by a badge. The estimated direct cost of the first phase is R25,400 for Alderman badges,

  with certificates produced internally. That amount is modest, but the principle remains that public expenditure must be justified and transparent. It is also notable that the report records no communication implications and no departments or bodies consulted.