Lois Cathleen Simonse

Attendance

Present

49

Leave of absence

2

Absent without leave

0

Arrived late

1

Left early

1

Reasons given for leave: Ill health (1), Family or bereavement (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

0

Times given the floor

8

Average wait to start

24 s

Average greetings first

0 s

Warned or stopped by the chair (1)

• 22 Jul 2026 · 03:40:54Chair asked Cllr Simonse to hold on amid noise in the chamber. sitting

In their words

Every time the chair gave them the floor in a transcribed sitting (8), 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 · 02:03:13Item 26 (attendance update) · 10 s

  Read what they said (23 words)

  I just put in the notes earlier on that Councillor Juwera has joined us, so we officially 11 in council today. Yes, ma'am.

• 27 Aug 2026 · 00:11:03Applications for leave of absence · 21 s

  Read what they said (38 words)

  Good morning, Madam Speaker. We have um leave of absence for MMC Kunene uh party business out of the province, and then Councilor Dwayne Ponsonby as well. And early departure will be Councilor Kaldine at 14:00. Thank you.

• 26 Aug 2026 · 01:33:486 · 5 s

  Read what they said (13 words)

  Madam Speaker, please make your ruling in terms of Councillor Raphadu's objection or

• 22 Jul 2026 · 07:28:1427 to 33 · 4 s

  Read what they said (15 words)

  It was an error, Madam Speaker. We have no speakers on this one. Thank you.

• 22 Jul 2026 · 03:41:55Items 9-13 (EISD, City Power, Joburg Water, Pikitup) · 25 s

  Read what they said (75 words)

  Thank you, Madam Speaker, and we are not singing songs. We would like to be acknowledged as well in this chamber. My hand was up while the Councillor was speaking and that is why the Councillors were screaming, there's a hand. It wasn't a song, but coming back to the point of order, we would like the Councillor to withdraw that the Minister has stolen the money without evidence. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

• 28 May 2026 · 02:48:06Item 3: debate on the budget speech · 5 min 4 s

  Read what they said (639 words)

  Greetings Speaker, Executive Mayor, Joburg 11 under the capable leadership of MMC Kunene in his absentia, fellow councillors, guests in the gallery and the most importantly, the City of Johannesburg residents. Madam Speaker, we acknowledge the presentation of the budget speech and the commitments made towards improving service delivery in our city. The focus on water security, electricity stabilization and road infrastructure

  reflects the daily struggles faced by the residents across Johannesburg. However, while the intentions outlined in the budget may sound promising, the concerns remain regarding implementation and accountability, more so that the city's ability to deliver on these commitments. For years, residents has listened to similar promises every financial year experiencing worsening service delivery. Communities continue to suffer from ongoing water outages,

  collapsed infrastructure, prolonged power interruptions and roads filled with potholes. The reality on the ground does not match the plans presented in this council chambers. What is good on paper is not what is good on the ground. One of the biggest concerns is whether enough funding has truly been allocated towards maintenance and infrastructure renewal, rather than short-term interventions again, like responding like an ambulance, even though we don't have those, when the need arises.

  Johannesburg's infrastructure crisis cannot be solved through temporary fixes. Our residents need sustainable investment backed by measurable timelines and transparent reporting. There are also concerns about financial health and operational capacity of municipal entities. Entities such as City Power, Joburg Water, Human Settlements, they continue to face serious challenges, including aging infrastructure, financial pressures, project delays

  and governance concerns. Without these strict oversight and consequence management, the additional funding alone will not guarantee the improvement of these services. The issue of accountability, while year after year the city experienced irregular expenditure, delayed projects and poor contract performance with little visibility of consequence management. Residents are frustrated because they see the budgets being approved, yet basic service delivery

  remains unreliable, to say the least. Speaker, on behalf of the residents of the City of Johannesburg, does this budget adequately address the inadequate across all regions of Johannesburg? Many communities, particularly in the undeveloped areas, continue to feel neglected when it comes to infrastructure upgrades, maintenance on roads, sanitation and economic opportunities. Let me emphasize, sorry, public trust in local government

  is currently questionable. Restoring confidence requires more than just speeches and announcements. It requires the visibility of delivery, honest communication, and leadership that responds urgently to the residents' concerns. As councillors, our responsibility is not only to approve budgets, but to ensure that every department and every municipal entity delivers results. Oversight cannot become a formality on paper. It must be active,

  it must be transparent, and it must be focused on the outcome, delivery. Johannesburg residents deserves a city that works. They deserve functional traffic lights, cleaner streets, reliable water, stable electricity, safer roads, and responsive governance. The budget speech presents an opportunity, but opportunities means nothing without execution. We also had hoped to hear that the clear implementation plans regarding the debt write-off program

  sponsored by the Patriotic Alliance and voted for in this council. Many struggled residents continue to face financial pressure, and this implementation of this program would have provided needed relief to qualify households while helping residents re-engage with the municipality in a meaningful and sustainable way. We therefore urge the administration to move with the urgency of implementing the approved debt write-off program and to provide the residents with clear communication

  on the process, qualification criteria, and timelines. Furthermore, we call on the administration to provide clear implementation plans, quarterly progress reports, stronger financial discipline, and visible consequence management where failure occurs. In closing, Madam Speaker, as the disciplined coalition partners, the people of Johannesburg are not asking much. They are asking for a government that delivers on its promises, and I thank you.

• 28 May 2026 · 00:43:14Leave of absence applications · 12 s

  Read what they said (27 words)

  Good morning, Madam Speaker, to every guest in the house. Late arrivals will be MMC Kunene and Councillor Smouse, and religious LOAs for Councillor Kaldine. Thank you.

• 26 May 2026 · 00:40:25Request for approval to enter into a loan agreement with KfW · 7 s

  Read what they said (14 words)

  Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Patriotic Alliance is asking for 30 minute caucus, please.

Spoke on

• 30 Sept 2026 · 01:58:46Item 26 vote: Crown North lease carried
• 26 Aug 2026 · 01:31:04Objection to campaign T-shirts and dress code ruling
• 22 Jul 2026 · 03:37:47ActionSA's Munyayi and dispute over remarks about a PA minister
• 25 Jun 2026 · 00:48:33Applications for leave of absence
• 28 May 2026 · 00:36:41Welcome, quorum and applications for leave of absence
• 28 May 2026 · 02:47:25PA's Cllr Simonse on implementation and the debt write-off
• 26 May 2026 · 00:12:30Applications for leave of absence
• 26 May 2026 · 00:40:05PA caucus request cut to 15 minutes and withdrawn