Luyolo Nkubungu

Attendance

Present

63

Leave of absence

0

Absent without leave

2

Arrived late

2

Left early

0

"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

0

Times given the floor

7

Average wait to start

9 s

Average greetings first

13 s

Apology or leave of absence (2)

• 26 Aug 2026 · 00:40:37Arriving late. ANC late arrival. sitting
• 24 Jun 2026 · 00:23:32Arriving late. ANC caucus notified late arrival. sitting

In their words

Every time the chair gave them the floor in a transcribed sitting (7), 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.

• 30 Sept 2026 · 03:10:27Item 20: Alderman Policy second phase · 2 min 20 s

  Read what they said (319 words)

  Uh [inaudible] greet yourself, greet eh the Secretary to Council who was very key in implementation of this policy. [inaudible]

  Can whoever that is mute? Can we not do that?

  Hawu bo!

  Thank you, Councillor, you may carry on.

  Thank you, Speaker. You know that is telling me on the very first day that you got my surname correctly. Eh let me appreciate eh that, eh Speaker. Greetings to the Executive Mayor, the Executive Deputy Mayor, the Mayoral Committee, the City Manager. I would like, eh Speaker, to just say, as the ANC, we are very impressed with the progress on this policy, and we note the amendments on this phase two. And we also acknowledge the

  fact that you were able to eh pick up the issue of the omitted eh Councillor from the IFP. We really much appreciate that. It shows that this policy now will be carried out with the most highest integrity. We're saying, going forward, Speaker, we are hoping that in the next term, the Legislature will be able to have funds for the Rules Committee to make sure that they are able to do their work and make

  sure that eh benchmarking is done so that we don't have [inaudible]. But I appreciate the great work which has been made here. The ANC appreciates the progress on the eh Alderman Policy, and we appreciate and acknowledge all those eh amendments that have been made on this policy. And Speaker, it is important to also indicate that eh we also note the former Councillors

  that have been eh selected, and we don't see any challenges in those because they are eh they are very much verifiable eh to every political party that has seen them. And we appreciate everything, Speaker, and we say, as the African National Congress, we are noting and approving the changes on this eh amended Alderman Policy. Thank you, Speaker.

• 26 Aug 2026 · 08:44:3147 · 3 min 49 s

  Read what they said (485 words)

  Thank you, Speaker. You're getting there. Honourable Speaker, I rise on behalf of the African National Congress to also put our comment on this milestone achievement of this Council, this administration, and through many hard efforts. I rise in support of Item 47, which deals with the implementation of the revised Alderman policy.

  Honourable Speaker, this report is important because it speaks to something that we sometimes overlook in local government: the value of service and contribution made by councillors to the development and functioning of the city. Council approved this revised Alderman on the Council that was held on the 26th of June 2025, following consideration and refinement through the Rules Section 79 Committee. The policy now provides a clear framework for recognition of serving and former councillors

  who have rendered sustainable and exceptional service to local government and the City of Johannesburg. I particularly welcome the fact that this recognition is not simply based on political affiliation or membership of a particular Council term. The policy establishes a points-based system with a minimum threshold of 20 points, and requires historical service records to be verified. This is important because recognition must

  be based on objective, transparent, and auditable criteria. Honourable Speaker, I also support the phased implementation approach. We are dealing with historical records spanning many years and, in some instances, service rendered in some municipalities. It is therefore appropriate that the legislature takes the necessary time to verify the dates of services and positions held, and other relevant information before titles are conferred.

  For we don't want mistakes in this thing. What is particularly important is that the phased approach must not disadvantage those whom the records have not been verified or finalised. Honourable Speaker, recognising of services should never be understood as merely giving someone a title. It is about acknowledging years of commitment to residents, communities, and the institutions of local government. Many councillors serve under difficult circumstances.

  They deal with difficulty with communities, respond to service delivery challenges, particularly in oversight and legislation. They carry the expectations of residents every day. Where that service meets requirements of approved policy, it is appropriate that the institution recognises it. I therefore support and recommend that Council includes the conferment of Alderman title on those

  who qualify. At the same time, I urge the legislature to continue applying a criteria consistently and without favour. The credibility of this policy depends on fairness, transparency, and equal treatment in all qualifying councillors. Honourable Speaker, let us therefore support this item as an institutional mechanism that serves and preserves the dignity of public service and ensures that those who have given their years to local government are honoured correctly.

  I support this report. Finally, Councillor Christians will be an Alderman, and we'll be getting advice from him officially because he has been trying to do that. Thank you very much, Speaker. We note this report.

• 22 Jul 2026 · 06:11:5520, 21 and 22 · 3 min 32 s

  Read what they said (466 words)

  Thank you, Speaker.

  You'll correct me.

  Thank you, Speaker. I've grown to understand the new surname that you've given to me. Uh greetings to you, Speaker. Greetings to the Executive Mayor, who happens to be the only mayor that has provided changes to the inner city that are known and recordable.

  Can I also send my greetings to the Mayoral Committee, and also the Chair of Chairs, the Whip of Council, and all councillors in the podium, members in the gallery, and residents at home. Speaker, I rise uh to note the third quarter report for the Human Settlements and JOSHCO.

  One must be honest that this is not a report that inspires confidence. It is a report that raises serious concerns about the performance, financial stability, and governance of both Human Settlements and JOSHCO. However, Speaker, one having been in council for this time that I've been in council, one would say I've seen

  ActionSA leading the Transport Department. I've seen ActionSA leading the Economic Development Department. I've seen ComDev under ACDP, and I've seen DA govern. And it leaves very much to be desired. So, it makes it easier to be part of this democracy to speak based on experience.

  And our experience is very clear. We've seen them govern, and we see, and we've seen how they govern and what mess they left when they were governing. It's very, very difficult to also consider the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the 2nd of June 2026 about how DA failed to redress the spatial and inequality in Western Cape.

  So, it really, really gives us concerns about the achievements that have been made in Joburg under Mayor uh Parks Tau, under the former Executive Mayors of the African National Congress, who have given us these changes that we enjoy today. The spatial planning in Joburg is the best in the country because of the governance of the African National Congress.

  Speaker, one must tell no lies and claim no easy victories. We need to understand that the Department of Human Settlements currently is having serious challenges, and one of those challenges is that it needs to have a permanent ED to run that department. Without a permanent ED, it will give us problems to see changes. It is sad that there might be a possibility that we'll end this term with this department not showing any improvement because,

  for all the quarters in the previous financial year, we've not seen an improvement. And one would ask what is the problem. We do note the improvements and the achievements of this department, but we're saying the achievement of this department is not uh something that is tolerable. So, with that, uh Speaker, we are noting this report with these concerns raised. Thank you, Speaker.

• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:27:5388 · 2 min 17 s

  Read what they said (355 words)

  Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. We should not be catching feelings. We should be in a celebratory mood because finally, this policy has come to council, and I believe that it is in a way I believe that it is in a way that it should have been from the onset. We have delayed this policy for a very long time, Speaker, and it is time that it comes to council as revised as it is,

  and implementation starts. Yes, implementation of this policy has been delayed. Engagement started in 2022 in the Rules Committee, and we have been debating on minor issues. It has been going back to caucuses for further scrutiny and analysis. But at the end of the day, today should be about us all saying we did it together. We should not be exchanging words or scoring points about this policy, but at the end of the day, this is our policy, and we should be celebrating that for the first time the City of Johannesburg will have this policy implemented.

  Implementation of this policy must not be delayed, Speaker. We have many people that are waiting to be honored, and we should do likewise. So, on behalf of the African National Congress, Speaker, we do hope that this council notes and accepts this policy for it to be implemented as soon as possible. Thank you, Speaker.

  Thank you so much, Councillor. Can we then close the debate? Because you ended off by

  Speaker!

  You ended off by saying the ANC, so please.

  Speaker, I want to raise to the attention of this house that this policy needs to be amended because when we were dealing with it, we did not have the position of the Deputy Executive Mayor. So, when we talk about the point scoring, we need to also amend on the part of inclusion of the Deputy Executive Mayor on that policy so that it totally complies. So, I would like the house to note this report with the amendment of 5.3 to include the position of the Deputy Executive Mayor. I therefore close this report. Thank you.

• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:16:1888 · 35 s

  Read what they said (79 words)

  Greetings, Speaker. I...

  I understand that this surname you'll never be able to pronounce it.

  It's Councillor Nkubungu. Eh, I rise to table the report on item 86, 88 on the revised Alderman Policy. Speaker, this report has been dragged for a very long time, and I'm glad it finally came to council, and I hope we note it and the implementation of this report starts eh as soon as possible. It has been long overdue. Thank you, Speaker.

• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:10:3787 · 4 min 51 s

  Read what they said (702 words)

  Yeah, total dominance, Speaker.

  Pardon?

  It's dominance, Speaker.

  Okay.

  I'll be responding on behalf of my caucus and then close. Speaker, I will just greet you now and greet Councillor Nkonyeni also, who has already endorsed us for the upcoming elections. Speaker, I must say that the review of this policy has been an exercise that was

  given to the task team, and there were engagements with ward councillors because ward councillors are the ones that are directly impacted by the services of the ward committees. We need to understand, Speaker, that the responsibilities of ward committees is to advise, not to assist, but to advise ward councillors and to enhance public participation. And in so saying, as I support this report,

  I rise to say the review of public participation policy, however, has to do with a clear message: this policy must not become another document that looks good on paper, but fails when it's supposed to be implemented. The report itself acknowledges that residents have repeatedly raised concerns about poor communication, weak feedback mechanism, lack of accountability, inadequate support of ward committees, and the failure of community inputs to influence actual service delivery.

  I wish to raise these points. It is important when we adopt this report to understand these factors: ward committees are not adequately empowered. They are there, they are elected, but most of them do not get adequate empowerment. These ward committees going forward need to get annual trainings that are accredited programs to make sure that they understand what they're supposed to be doing, and when they leave their term of office, they are fully empowered

  to go out there and venture into the world. Adequate digital tools of connectivity, clear performance monitoring systems that will be evaluated and monitored, stronger involvement with municipal planning processes to understand what is happening. It is also important, Speaker, to also note that if ward committees do not have clear KPIs that are understood by ward councillors, it will be very difficult for them to work for the councillors that they're supposed to be assisting

  by being advisors to. So these clear KPIs must be also known to everyone, and they should also reflect on what needs to happen to enhance, which is their major responsibility, is to make sure that public participation and representation of those sectors in making sure that they are involved in the running of governance in the wards. Service delivery response targets, they should know about them, public-facing dashboards showing commitments and progress, and mandatory feedback reports after consultations.

  Speaker, I don't want to be long, but I say public participation must improve service delivery. And if ward committees are not at the key of that service delivery, then they become futile. We have called many community meetings, and you would find that the participation of these ward committees is very minimal and there's no monitoring mechanism. And there are concerns from the community that they do not see these ward committees, and then you wonder which sectors that they are representing.

  So with this revised policy, I think it will be easy to manage these ward committees better and to see how to improve their capabilities and capacity, Speaker. With that, we adopt this report and we say we support this report. And Speaker, I'd like to close the debate on this item and say the African National Congress knows this report, and it's not a report of the ANC. This report was engaged with all councillors, and it went to the Rules Committee where everybody was there.

  It should not be tabled and labeled a report of the Rules Committee, Councillor Christians, because we were all part of these engagements. Ward councillors were given a chance to engage on this report, so it is very much unfair to grandstand and say it is a report of the African National Congress. We know that the African National Congress has more ward councillors, and yes, it will have to be theirs by default, and it will take time for that to change because we're still going to maintain these wards. Thank you very much, Speaker. Please, I rise to close this debate. Thank you.

• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:03:4087 · 59 s

  Read what they said (108 words)

  Greetings, Speaker.

  Thank you.

  Uh, can I greet you, Speaker, and say today we should be in a jolly mood because we didn't sleep. And we, those who slept woke up very early because we're in a celebratory mood. But let me greet you, Speaker, the Deputy Executive Mayor, the first Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, the MMCs who are here,

  uh, members of this council, the City Manager, Dr. Brink, and the Secretary to Council. I think he knows why I'm greeting him when I'm about to table this item. Speaker, I'm standing mandated by the Rules Committee to table this report. Thank you.

Spoke on

• 30 Sept 2026 · 03:05:46Item 20: Implementation of revised Alderman Policy, phase two
• 27 Aug 2026 · 00:27:50Item 32: Public Participation Policy review
• 27 Aug 2026 · 02:32:01Item 46: Councillor Funeral Support Policy tabled; DA and FF+ concerns
• 27 Aug 2026 · 02:49:24Item 46: ANC support and closing
• 26 Aug 2026 · 08:39:12Item 47: Implementation of the Alderman policy, EFF and ANC
• 22 Jul 2026 · 05:53:03Items 20-22: party debate on housing and JOSHCO
• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:03:12Item 87: Review of the policy on ward committees
• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:16:04Item 88: Revised Alderman Policy debate
• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:27:38Item 88: Proposed amendment, Rules Committee caucus and adoption

Promises

• 25 Jun 2026 · 03:43:27Including the Deputy Executive Mayor in the Alderman Policy points scoring will be dealt with in the next council term.