Nyelisani Strike Rambani

Attendance

Present

61

Leave of absence

3

Absent without leave

0

Arrived late

3

Left early

1

Reasons given for leave: Private business (1), Other (1), Party business (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

4

Average wait to start

7 s

Average greetings first

3 s

Apology or leave of absence (3)

• 27 Aug 2026 · 00:04:44Party business. Listed as on party business. sitting
• 27 Aug 2026 · 00:09:35Party business. DA leave of absence for party business. sitting
• 26 Aug 2026 · 00:42:14Party business. Late arrival for party business. sitting

Not present when called (1)

• 30 Sept 2026 · 07:11:58Called to speak on item 16 and not present. sitting

Warned or stopped by the chair (1)

• 26 Aug 2026 · 03:22:22The chair told Rambani to stop filming and then fined him R1,000. sitting

In their words

Every time the chair gave them the floor in a transcribed sitting (4), 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 · 06:55:56Item 15: Frankenwald and Bergvallei mixed housing developments · 4 min 29 s

  Read what they said (496 words)

  Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, allow me to greet every councillor that is present at the moment. Speaker, in 2022, the framework was approved by council. That framework went into public participation, and then it was brought back to council for approval,

  with a clear guideline of how the development is going to happen between the Calgro and the City of Johannesburg. Currently, we are finding a report that the city wants to go into an arrangement in the Frankenwald development and spend the grants that are available for next

  financial year, which is an amount of 2.9 billion rand and an amount of 2.4 billion rand. But what we are not getting, we are not getting a full disclosure as to what is it that Calgro is going to spend on the whole development. I have traveled to Frankenwald before, and I've seen that the development has been started already,

  and I do know that Calgro has been doing what is called a bulk infrastructure. Who has funded that bulk infrastructure? This report is not telling us. What kind of a bulk infrastructure is this funding going to go to? Because already, in that area, there's already bulk infrastructure that the developer is already putting there.

  We really want to find a full disclosure, a full report detailing as to the amount of the bulk infrastructure that has already been installed, or the bulk infrastructure that is already installed at the moment, how much has it cost, and who paid for that bulk infrastructure? This kind of money which we are going to pay, I can see there is

  what is called infrastructure development, which is stated there, electrical bulk link and also civil bulk link. But my question is, those infrastructure, if you go there, Calgro has already installed them. Where is this bulk infrastructure going to go to? Because already, they have already installed the bulk infrastructure in that area, and there is a

  work that is going on in Frankenwald currently. With regard to the top structure, if I remember very well, the top structure was to be fully funded by the developer, which is Calgro. So in a nutshell, what I'm seeing in this report is that this report is in contravention with the framework that was approved by council in 2022.

  I will request that this report be withdrawn and be sent back and be brought back with a full disclosure as to how much is Calgro spending, whether all the town planning processes were followed and approved. We do not have that detail because in the last time, we found that the town planning processes were

  still under way. Currently, we do not know whether the town planning processes are already completed. Can this report be withdrawn? Otherwise, the Democratic Alliance will not approve this report as it is until we find the full information as to what is happening with this development. Thank you very much, Speaker.

• 30 Sept 2026 · 04:49:14Item 5 Land Assembly Strategy · 8 s

  Read what they said (21 words)

  Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, the DA notes and accepts the report. Thank you very much.

• 30 Sept 2026 · 04:38:53Item 4 Informal Settlements Policy · 1 min 5 s

  Read what they said (103 words)

  Thank you, thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, the Democratic Alliance notes and approves the policy as it stands. Uh Speaker, I want to raise a concern currently that as much as we are approving the policies, we have a situation currently in the informal settlement called Ezinqawe

  where the Department of Human Settlements has promised to actually replace the transformer to electrify the area. To date, it has been eight months, the people of Ezinqawe do not have electricity. Can the MMC assist us

  in getting electricity for the people of Ezinqawe? Thank you very much. We note and accept the report.

• 22 Jul 2026 · 06:01:1120, 21 and 22 · 10 min 11 s

  Read what they said (1173 words)

  Thank you very much, Speaker. Uh I rise to speak on Item 20 to 20, 20 to 22 of the third quarter performance report.

  This report paints a troubling picture of an entity that is expected to help address Johannesburg's housing crisis yet finds itself battling financially financial instability, deteriorating infrastructure, poor revenue collection, and an inability to consistently meet its own target.

  The report shows that JOSHCO achieved only 53% of its predetermined target during the third quarter. While this is an improvement from the previous quarter of 46.67%, it still means that nearly half of the organization's targets were not achieved. That cannot be regarded as acceptable for an entity carrying such an important social mandate.

  The report proudly notes that occupancy levels remain at 99%. However, occupancy means very little when collection rates remain disastrously low. JOSHCO collected only 68% of billed revenue against a target of 95%. This means that almost one-third of rental revenue is simply not being collected. The consequence of this failure are visible throughout the financial statement.

  JOSHCO has recorded a deficit of R391.5 million. This is worse than the R356 million deficit recorded during the same period last year. The entity's net liability have ballooned to R2.4 billion.

  Its current ratio has declined. Its solvency ratio has declined. Cash reserves have almost disappeared. Cash and cash equivalents have fallen from R22.6 million at the start of the financial year to just R2.4 million by the end of the third quarter. No business, no municipal entity, and no housing provider can remain sustainable under those conditions indefinitely.

  The report further reveals that debt impairment costs exceed budget by R60 million. Finance costs exceeded budget by staggering R106 million. Utilities exceeded budget by R118 million. Security costs exceeded budget by R51 million. Those are not small variances. They are a symptom of deeper structural problem that have persisted year after year.

  The report itself identifies one of the most concerning reality facing JOSHCO. The collection rate dropped partly because tenants are increasingly complaining about the condition of their facilities. Many tenants are threatening to withhold payment because buildings are not being properly maintained. This should concern every councillor in this chamber. When residents lose confidence that basic maintenance will be carried out,

  the social contract between landlord and tenant begin to collapse. We cannot expect people to pay for services when the city and its entities fail to maintain acceptable living conditions. What is particularly concerning is that Human Settlements Quarter 3 report confirms that JOSHCO challenges are not isolated incidents. JOSHCO problems are not isolated. They are symptoms of a Human Settlements portfolio that is struggling

  with cash flow constraints, contractor payment delays, project implementation failure, maintenance backlog, poor capital spending, and weak coordination between departments and entities. Across departments, we see the same pattern repeating itself.

  Projects are delayed because contractors are not paid. Targets are missed because of the procurement failure. Infrastructure deteriorates because maintenance is deferred. And residents are ultimately the ones who suffer. The department failed to achieve its target for providing electricity to informal settlement households. The report confirms that implementation stalled because contractors were not being paid, and projects could not continue.

  The department also failed its sanitation target in informal settlements because Joburg Water was unable to pay contractors on time due to city cash flow constraints. Whether it's JOSHCO or Human Settlements, the story remains unchanged. Poor financial management is directly undermining service delivery. The department further failed to deliver serviced sites during the quarter despite significant budget allocations and multiple housing developments being underway.

  Hostel rehabilitation targets were also missed because projects were placed on hold due to budget constraints and procurement delays. Most concerning of all, the department spent only 46% of its capital budget by the end of the third quarter. At a time when thousands of Johannesburg residents remain on housing waiting lists, when informal settlements require upgrading, when hostels need rehabilitation, and

  when housing stock is deteriorating, there can be no justification for such poor expenditure performance. The department also paid less than half of valid invoices within the required 30-day period. This explains many of the delays that repeatedly appear throughout both reports. Contractors are not paid, projects stop, targets are missed, and communities are left waiting.

  The Human Settlements report itself acknowledges increasing maintenance backlog and deteriorating housing infrastructure across the city housing portfolio. This is precisely because uh JOSHCO tenants who are increasingly refusing to pay rent because buildings are not being maintained adequately. The department report even records that service delivery has been negatively affected

  by contractual and implementation challenge involving JOSHCO itself. Taken together, those reports reveal a systemic failure across the Human Settlements portfolio. Across Johannesburg, we continue to see delayed housing projects, aging infrastructure, growing maintenance backlog, poor living conditions, and an ever-growing housing waiting list. The Human Settlements Department and JOSHCO are supposed to work together to address those challenges. Instead,

  both reports reveal recurring weaknesses in planning, execution, and financial management. Particularly alarming is the report's acknowledgment that the aging infrastructure remains one of JOSHCO's highest strategic risks. The building condition assessment intended to guide major upgrades has still not been completed due to procurement failures. As a result, infrastructure continues to deteriorate

  while tenants continue to suffer. The inability to deliver capital projects on time also remains classified as a very high risk. These are not new risks. They are long-standing challenges that continue to undermine the delivery of affordable housing to Johannesburg residents. We also note that JOSHCO management fees have fallen dramatically because Human Settlements projects have been delayed, service-level agreements

  have expired, and historical debt remains unpaid. The Democratic Alliance believes that affordable housing remains one of the most important responsibilities of local government. Housing is not simply about bricks and mortar. It's about dignity. It is about safety. It is about creating opportunities for families to build stable lives close to jobs, transport, and economic opportunities.

  But this can only happen when housing entities are financially stable, professionally managed, and held accountable for results. The residents of Johannesburg deserve better than annual deficits, declining cash reserves, deteriorating buildings, and missed targets. They deserve a government that plans properly, spends responsibly, and delivers consistently. As we approach the elections, Johannesburg residents are increasingly asking a simple

  You have 50 seconds, Councillor.

  Who can fix the city? The answer is becoming clearer every day. Where the DA governs, finances are managed responsibly, projects are delivered, corruption is confronted, basic service is improved, and residents receive value for their rates and taxes. The turnaround of Johannesburg will not come from excuses. It will not come from reports filled with recurring problems and repeated promises.

  It will come from capable government. It will come from professional administration, and it will come from leadership that places residents ahead of political interests. Under the leadership of Helen Zille and the DA, South Africa have seen what good governance looks like. The DA has consistently

Spoke on

• 30 Sept 2026 · 04:35:12Item 4: City of Johannesburg Informal Settlements Policy
• 30 Sept 2026 · 04:48:52Item 5: Human Settlements Land Assembly Strategy 2025-2040
• 30 Sept 2026 · 06:55:17Item 15: Frankenwald and Bergvallei mixed housing developments
• 22 Jul 2026 · 05:53:03Items 20-22: party debate on housing and JOSHCO