Transcript: 36th Ordinary Council Meeting

Opening, additional urgent items and quorum count

00:00:35You may be seated.

00:00:50Good morning councillors. It is hereby notified that the 36th ordinary council meeting of the city of Johannesburg municipality will be held on Thursday the 26th of February 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Constance Connie Bapela Council Chamber in Braamfontein and the first item on the agenda is opening.

00:01:15Good morning once again councillors, officials, leaders of political parties, the media, good morning again. Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Sello Dada Morero. Whip of Council, Councillor Kazamula Chauke. Chair of Chairs, Councillor Vuhani Marema. All political party leaders and Whips.

00:01:45Members of the Mayoral Committee present, Chairpersons of Section 79 Committees, fellow Councillors, City Manager Honourable Dr. Floyd Brink, Secretary to Council Mr. Andile Gobinca, officials of the City of Johannesburg. Most importantly, residents of the City of Johannesburg. Once again, media, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen,

00:02:14I welcome, I welcome you all to the 36th Ordinary Council Meeting of the City of Johannesburg. Councillors, please note that I have received requests from both the Executive and the Legislature to include two additional items in the agenda

00:02:41as urgency reports and I have acceded to the requests. The said reports have been added as items 22 and 23 respectively. At this point, Councillors, I will allow 10 minutes, one oh, minutes,

00:03:10for the number of councillors present in the chamber to be counted and verification of the number of councillors who have signed the register so as to confirm quorum. There was two registers this morning, the one for the special council and there is currently another register that you have to sign for this council meeting.

00:03:40I would also plead with councillors that we have less moving around, that you remain where you are placed because that is your seat. I know there are councillors that has a problem with the chairs. Councillor Niemand will put a man there.

00:03:59AfrikaansUm, sodat die stoel kan reg sit.

00:04:03But I know that there's a problem and we are busy fixing all the seats and they should be ready by the next council sitting. So can we have the 10 minutes so that we allow legal to count us? Thank you. Can we be seated? Otherwise, if we are not seated, we cannot be counted.

00:04:29Our 10 minutes starts and we will be done by 11:10 because it's 11:05. On your screens you can see it's 11:05. So we come back at 11:10. At 11:15, sorry. Sorry, colleagues, apologies.

Leave of absence and apologies

00:12:35for leave of absence.

00:12:43Colleagues, we have received the following applications of leave.

00:13:00Is it MMC Mabaso and Chair Mpolobosho? I need your attention. Thank you, Councillors. The apologies are as follow: Councillor Z. Hughes is on maternity leave, Councillor L. Mphefo, ill health, Councillor D. Dewes, family bereavement,

00:13:30Councillor R. Bittkau, ill health, that I saw Councillor Bittkau here. Councillor D. Reynders, ill health. Councillor C. Fourie-Shawe, late arrival at 11:00. It's 11:10, she's probably here. Councillor N. Mohamed, late arrival. Councillor K. Jacobs, late arrival. Councillor D. Steenkamp,

00:13:59I've seen Councillor D. Steenkamp here, late arrival. Councillor R. Hooper, late arrival. Councillor J. Karolia, late arrival, but he is here. Councillor A. Christians, to leave at 17:00 hours for religious reasons, we all know it's Ramadan. Councillor R. Landis, to leave at 17:00 hours for religious reasons.

00:14:29Councillor T. Truluck, to leave at 17:00 hour. Councillor N. Pietersen, to leave at 18:30. Councillor J. Kaldine, to leave at 15:00 hour for religious reasons. And now I would ask if there's any other apologies from the floor. Councillor Avant-Smith, then Councillor

00:15:00De Lange, then Councillor Mogapi, then Councillor Matthew Cook, then Councillor Makhuba, and then Councillor Ntombela, and then Councillor Harris, and then Councillor Simonse, and then Councillor Ndlela. So you know in which fashion, I'm not going to call you.

00:15:31You will go in that fashion. Thank you so much.

00:15:39Thank you, Speaker. Uh, there's just a few changes to the list that we originally sent in, some people have got better, which helps. Uh, so our LOAs are Councillor Dewes, Mphefo, then Councillor Ramaru, um, on family responsibility and Councillor Chabalala who's ill health. Our late arrivals will be Councillor Sifumba, Councillor A. Marais, Councillor K. Jacobs, Councillor D. Steenkamp, Councillor M. Ncube and Councillor Mohamed.

00:16:12Um, leaving early, correct, it's Councillor Christians, Councillor Chame, Councillor Landis and Councillor Pietersen at 17:00 and Councillor Truluck at 18:00. Thanks very much.

00:16:25Thank you, Councillor Smith. Next Councillor that I pointed? Councillor De Lange,

00:16:32AfrikaansDis jou beurt.

00:16:35Uh thank you, Speaker. Councillor Boer was so kind to put in a LOA for me due to MPLC responsibilities, but I am present. And then um Councillor Paul Smit has been hospitalized. Um he had uh a procedure and he's currently recovering, so he will not join us due to ill health. Councillor Paul Smit, Freedom Front Plus. Thank you.

00:17:00Thank you, Councillor. The next Councillor that was pointed?

00:17:06Thank you, Speaker. Greetings everyone. From the EFF caucus, it's Councillor Ngwenya, ill health. Thank you.

00:17:13Thank you, Councillor. Next Councillor?

00:17:18Thank you, Speaker. For the IFP, Councillor Mkhize is requesting to leave at 6:30, ward responsibilities. Councillor Nyembe will leave at 3:00 p.m., he's not feeling well. Councillor Khanyile will arrive late, and Councillor Makhuba um will leave at 6:00 p.m., family responsibility. Thank you.

00:17:44Thank you, Councillor.

00:17:46Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm sure you can hear I sound a little raspy today and as you know I've been sick for the last couple of days. I have a doctor's appointment at 3:00, so I'll ask to be excused at 2:30. If council is still continuing after I've been to the doctor, I will return.

00:18:03Thank you, Councillor. Next Councillor?

00:18:07Thank you, Madam Speaker. Uh ActionSA leave of absence: Councillor Nkomo, ill health, Councillor Mkhonto, party business, Councillor Wissler, private business, and the request for early departure: Councillor L. Mokoka, 13:00 hours, Councillor Themba Mabunda, 13:00 hours, Councillor Matabane, 15:00 hours, and Councillor

00:18:36M. Van Wyk, 17:00 hours. Thank you, Speaker.

00:18:43Thank you, Councillor. Next Councillor?

00:18:46Thank you, Madam Speaker. Um please allow for Councillor Mkhonza to leave at 16:30 on party business. Thank you.

00:18:58Thank you, Councillor. Next Councillor?

00:19:01Uh good morning, Madam Speaker. Uh early departures will be MMC Kunene uh just after 3:00, Councillor Dwayne Ponsonby um council business, and then Councillor Marilyn Smouse also council business at 4:30. Thank you.

00:19:17Thank you, Councillor Simonse.

00:19:21Uh thank you, Madam Speaker. Uh ANC Councillors leave of absence will be Councillor Lobi and Councillor Mhlari, Councillor Shai will arrive at 12:00 and Councillor Lefutso is requesting to be excused at 15:30 and Councillor Nair at 17:00 hours if we'll not be done by then. Thank you.

00:19:43Thank you, Councillor. The next Councillor? Are we done? Can we, are we good with the um apologies? Do we adopt these apologies? Thank you.

Official notices: birthdays, DA PR seat change and late speaker names

00:20:02We now proceed with official notices.

00:20:07Colleagues, please join me in wishing well all Councillors who are celebrating their birthdays during the month of February. Congratulations to all of you for growing a year older. Councillor Mabaso, congratulations on your birthday today. I know that's one birthday that I have. Congratulations for being a year older.

00:20:36Councillors, please note that Councillor Nicolene Schroeder, that we have known previously as Councillor Rahn, has resigned as a Democratic Alliance PR Councillor in the City of Johannesburg. We wish her well in her new endeavors. But she has been replaced by a face that is very familiar to all of us. And she's been replaced by Councillor

00:21:08Graham De Kock. Welcome, Councillor De Kock. Can you stand for those who don't know you?

00:21:22Thank you so much, and welcome back. STC, next item.

00:21:30Just hold on. Councillor Avant-Smith? Is it a point of order? Is he not supposed to be here?

00:21:37No, it's not that. Uh Speaker, um we would just like to put on record that we haven't forwarded speakers for um items 18 to 22 or item 23 because it was loaded so late last night. It was loaded only at 10:00 last night. We would like the opportunity to please be able to forward the speakers' names to you, but we will probably need a caucus break to discuss who's going to speak. Thank you.

00:22:08I thought you were in disagreement with the Councillor. Um MMC of, have I opened up a can of worms? MMC um Zungu?

00:22:23Thanks, Speaker. Eh greetings. I don't know, um, on the 4th or 5th of Feb was my birthday, Speaker.

00:22:32MMC, just take your seat quickly. Just take your seat, just hold on. Councillors, why are we doing what we are doing? And it's Chairpersons. It is senior, it is senior members of this house that's doing that. And of strategic committees. Can we not do that? And all of us that are walking in, can we please respect this house?

00:23:05Thank you, MMC.

00:23:07No, Speaker, thanks. I was saying, I don't know, maybe because of the surname change I may not be recognized as one having a birthday this month, Speaker. My birthday was on the 5th. So now maybe there's this confusion of the Moyo and the Zungu, Speaker. And yeah, I want, as a, I think I don't know if I'm married to Moyo now, Zungu-Moyo. Speaker, thank you.

00:23:38Councillor Zungu, MMC Zungu, apologies for that. But I'm going to declare to this house why I know it is Councillor Mabaso's surname, his birthday, because I know him since he was 10 years old. So I know his birthday. So it's not about Moyo and Zungu, I know him when he was a little boy running in the street still.

00:24:11So I know him. Apologies, but happy birthday to you, MMC, and may you have a great, great year. Oh, it's the COC's birthday also. Happy birthday, COC. Thank you, colleagues. Thank you so, Oh, Da Rocha, is it your birthday? Da Rocha, I want to carry on, please. We are late. Thank you.

00:24:41Um, Madam Speaker, I didn't know that my surname changed. It went from Da Rocha to Rocher, so.

00:24:51isiZuluHayi bo, eh Da Rocha.

00:24:56STC, can we get to the next item?

Statement by the Executive Mayor on water supply

00:24:59Sorry, we're proceeding now with the statement by the Executive Mayor.

00:25:04Executive Mayor Dada Morero, we need to get your statement. Just hold on, Executive Mayor, you haven't spoken, but Councillor Smith has a point of order on you.

00:25:17Thanks, Speaker. Could you just um answer my question, are we able to forward our names to you uh for items 18 to 22, please?

00:25:29Councillor Smith, um I think I said to you earlier on, yes, bring the names to me. I did say it before. I said it before and I'm saying you can bring your names. Thank you so much. Executive Mayor, can we have your statement?

00:25:51Thank you, Speaker of Council, the Chief Whip of Council, Chair of Chairs, and leaders of political parties or caucuses. Let me take this opportunity to greet all the Councillors who are here, the residents of Johannesburg, and those in the public gallery. And perhaps, Madam Speaker, one point that needs to be dealt with,

00:26:20I thought I should touch the challenges that we are faced with on the water front. You'd know that most areas in Johannesburg has been battling with water supply, and Johannesburg Water, working together with Rand Water, have been looking at options to ensure that at least we can provide water to those that are affected. And we want to also apologize, especially to the residents of Ward 66, Ward 118, who continue to be affected by water supplyclaim

00:26:52for longer periods of time. There are interventions that are being done to address the challenge in Ward 118 and Ward 66. And amongst others is to focus on the pumping station in the area so that we can be able to ensure that supply, especially in high-lying areas, continue to happen without any disruptions. We are also noting that some areas have progressively started to increase and to stabilize.claim

00:27:23We know the challenges that are affecting Hursthill 1 and Hursthill 2, which continue to put pressure on areas around Crosby and areas around Coronationville. We are convinced at this stage that the Brixton Reservoir should be able to assist us in providing sufficient storage such that we'll then be able to supply the areas in Region B,

00:27:52and that will include the Brixton Tower, which should be able to assist us on high-lying areas to supply water. But what is it that the Executive is doing, Madam Speaker? Which I think is critical and more important for this council. We've arrived at a decision that we need to relook at ring-fencing a particular percentage of the water revenue so that that percentage can then be reinvested into the water infrastructure.

00:28:24Reality is that yes, we do have backlogs in terms of our infrastructure. At this stage, we are targeting to invest into the water infrastructure through the pipe replacement program and to try and focus on at least 2,600 kilometers of pipes, which we think it will also assist us in reducing our current losses, which are sitting at about 33% and reduce those by 10%, which will result in a savingclaim

00:28:53of just over 300 million on an annual basis. Now, that is one intervention that we are looking at. The second intervention is us continuing to build new reservoirs and towers, with the four that we are building in Midrand, four reservoirs and three towers, and one tower almost at the complete stage, and it should then be able to help us to supply water in high-lying areas around the Midrand area.

00:29:23We've also made commitments that we will then look at the reservoirs which we are repairing. 19 of them are under serious refurbishment so that it can allow us to also contribute towards reduction of the losses that we're experiencing. The Soweto area remains a bit stable. However, Meadowlands and Doornkop has consistently been faced with challenges, but we think as of today they will see an improvement in the areas

00:29:54of Soweto. Let me also commit, Madam Speaker, on what

00:30:00that the executive continues to do, and amongst others is to engage financial institutions, to find ways on how we can fund this big project on the infrastructure of the water.

00:30:13We have engaged in this case the Development Bank of South Africa with an intention to see how best they can assist us in raising the necessary capital. We have engaged African Development Bank, and lately we are now engaging with Afreximbank in an intention to see how best we can fund this immediate intervention of the 200 and 2,600 km.

00:30:40I am encouraged on the commitment that has been shown by the leadership of Joburg Water including their board in as far as making these commitments to be realized. Our Finance Department has also shown an interest in how it helps us to raise this capital so that we can close the gaps in the water business and refurbish our infrastructure.

00:31:05I'm also encouraged by the support that we have received from national government, provincial government, especially the Minister of COGTA and the Minister of Water who have made a serious commitment in supporting all the efforts that we are doing in Johannesburg to address the water challenges.

00:31:24With that being said, Madam Speaker, I'd also want to mobilize this entire council and all political parties in council that all of us should participate in supporting the efforts that the executive is putting in place for us to address the water the water challenges. As we all know, water is life, and sanitation is dignity. We've got a responsibility to ensure

00:31:50that we get Johannesburg out of this current crisis and stabilize water supply and also focus on demand management. Let me then take this opportunity once more, Speaker, to thank all those councillors, especially ward councillors who continue to be under strain, who now have to wake up early mornings,

00:32:16engage with Joburg Water, go to depots to get supply or to get water tankers. We want to salute these councillors that indeed you continue to demonstrate that indeed you are servants of the people and you will continue to serve the people.

00:32:33SepediKe lebogile kudu ma khanselara.

00:32:36Let's continue to serve our communities even during difficult times because leadership is demonstrated during difficult times and continue to do so.

00:32:46SepediKe a leboga, Speaker.

00:32:49Thank you so much, Executive Mayor.

00:32:53SCC.

Confirmation of minutes of the 35th Ordinary Meeting

00:32:55We now proceed with the fourth item and that is confirmation of minutes, and these are minutes of the 35th uh Ordinary Meeting held on the 29th of January, 2026.

00:33:07We only have one speaker on that minutes, and it's Councillor C. Fourie-Shawe.

00:33:16Thank you, Madam Speaker. The DA believes it's a true reflection. Just a potential clarifying factor is Councillor Hughes was on maternity leave. Um just so that distinction can be made with the leave of absences on the minutes. Thank you.

00:33:31Thank you, Councillor. Can we then confirm the minutes? Can we have a mover? Thank you, Councillor Smit. A seconder at the back, Councillor Mazibuko. You seconding? Thank you so much. The minutes is gone. Next item um, SCC.

Oral question to the MMC for Transport on Bram Fischerville roads

00:33:55Uh we're now on item 5A, and those are questions for oral reply of which notice has been given in terms of Rule 105, Subsection 1 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.

00:34:06Thank you so much. We have one question and it is Councillor M. Bolani. Councillor Bolani.

00:34:17Is Councillor Bolani in the Oh. Okay.

00:34:23Uh greetings, Madam Speaker. Greetings to the Executive Mayor, Councillor Dada Sello Morero. Greetings to the Chief Whip of council, Councillor Chauke. Greetings to all councillors. Greetings to the community leaders of Bram Fischerville Ward 49 in the public gallery. Madam Speaker, uh

00:34:49I arise, Madam Speaker, as Councillor M. Bolani to ask uh for MMC of Transport and Transport Department the following questions for oral reply in terms of Rule 105 (1) of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council 2016. Noting that uhclaim

00:35:111 (a) municipality must structure and manage its administrative budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community and promote social and economic developments to of the community. Given that on the 10th April 2024 the MMC received and signed a written memorandum from the resident of Rethabile Block Bram Fischerville Extension 4 Ward 49 in which clear commitments were madeclaim

00:35:40regarding the tarring of roads and installation of storm water drainage infrastructure on Suraveage Street, Contessa Street, Baronet Street, and Emperor Avenue. Why has nothing been done to date to implement or advance the promises made to the community on that day?claim

00:36:03What accountability does the MMC takes for the failure to act on a signed commitment made to the residents facing ongoing flooding, unsafe roads and restricted mobility? In the absence of any action, does the MMC accept that the continued inaction of this department is undermining public trust and unfairly damaging the credibility of the elected ward councillor? I thank you, Madam Speaker.claim

00:36:27Thank you so much, Councillor. We now have the MMC to respond to the question. MMC Kunene.

00:36:41Thank you, Madam Speaker. Let me greet you. Let me greet the Chair of Chairs, the Chief Whip of council, the Chief Whip of the fastest fastest growing political party in South Africa, the Patriotic Alliance. Let me greet the 10 most active, committed councillors of the PA

00:37:06sitting in this council. Madam Speaker, let me also greet the residents of Johannesburg. And let me wish the Muslim communities a Ramadan Mubarak. Madam Speaker, I will not rest in peace at this point in time. I am living in peace.

00:37:30I am alive. I have made a deal with God to die at 100 years. Madam Speaker, currently in Ward 49 You are not God. I have made a deal with God. I don't know why are you commenting.claim

00:37:50Currently in Ward 49, Madam Speaker, JRA is currently busy finalizing the tender documentation for the procurement of the contractor to undertake the upgrade of gravel roads to surface standards. The streets included are as follows: Hazy Street, Snow Street, Oha Street, Moya Street, Mohodi Street. There is currently a backlog of streets to upgrade from gravel roadsclaim

00:38:15to surface standards as well as the installation of storm water infrastructure. The budget for the Bram Fischer area is also inadequate to address the backlogs indicated above. It is not just Bram Fischer, Madam Speaker, it is throughout the city. I was in Ivory Coast in in Ivory Park uhclaim

00:38:40When you travel a lot and you are a trendsetter you'll make such mistakes. Madam Speaker, I was in Ivory Park last week and uh we have committed to do certain gravel roads. Madam Speaker, I have said to the team last year that we need to use the internal expertise and capacity that we have. You would have seen thatclaim

00:39:04in Diepsloot, we constructed a road from scratch internally without going out on tender, using our own civil engineers in the in the at at JRA, and we constructed about 500 uh meters of road. We did that again, Madam Speaker, where we also constructed a road to a surface standard uh in Rabie Ridge where uh we we have also done that, Madam Speaker, and I launched that roadclaim

00:39:34uh in Ivory Park, where we are also doing about 500 m of construction to surface standards. So, Madam Speaker, we are not only depending on the tenders. We are also now, uh for the first time in the life of JRA, constructing roads from scratch using internal capacity. Madam Speaker, we have challenges of budget. We want to uh

00:40:00We want to construct all the gravel roads to surface standards, however, the budget limitations are there. Madam Speaker, the councillor, when I I signed that petition I was in Bram Fischer, and we're doing work, launching Operation Restore in Bram Fischer. The councillor and the communities informed me that work has not been done for many years.

00:40:27Even in signing that particular petition, I indicated that it is subject to budget availability. It is not that we have no commitment nor the political will to fix the road infrastructure. We have challenges of budget, yet the political will and the administrative will and capacity is there. I thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in closing,

00:40:54I want to say you would have seen that the Member of Parliament deployed by Patriotic Alliance and the member of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has sponsored the motion in Parliament on Tuesday for Parliament to debate the PIE Act so that it can be amended to criminalize the hijacking of buildings,

00:41:20to also revisit the eviction clauses within that law, so that we can be able, Madam Speaker, to implement the law to to its fullest. This is our commitment to fighting hijacked buildings and to deporting mass mass deportation of illegal immigrants who occupy these hijacked buildings. But also, Madam Speaker,

00:41:46to strengthen the law so that criminals do not use the loophole in the law to take the municipality to court. That particular motion also asked the uh uh Parliament to redefine the role of municipalities. Because every time

00:42:09Tell me, Madam Speaker.

00:42:12[inaudible] the municipality.

00:42:15MMC, your time is up.

00:42:18Thank you, Madam Speaker.

00:42:19Your time is up. I would have wanted you to, but your time is up. Councillor Tshwaku, MMC Tshwaku.

00:42:30No, thank you very much.

00:42:31What is your point of order on?

00:42:32Yeah, you know uh uh, Madam Speaker, I would like to appreciate the MMC Kenny Kunene for implementing the Cardinal Pillar four of the Manifesto of the EFF: State Capacity.

00:42:49I'm not sure what we ate or what we drank this morning, but something is just, even myself. Um councillor that asked the question, is there a follow up, or are you good?

00:43:05Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that. I'm happy because the representative of the community are here and the community is watching out there, but I didn't get satisfied by the answer because I only hear Ivory Coast and Bram Fischerville is not in Africa. Thank you.

Ruling on follow-up questions by other councillors

00:43:21Thank you, Councillor. Um can we Councillor Christians.

00:43:34Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, I rise in terms of Rule 108 (6). Seeing that the previous speaker did not take up his opportunity to use that rule, may I ask the follow-up question? Thank you.

00:43:51Please be seated for a second.

00:43:57Well, the question is not your question, Councillor Christians. It's not your question. We are we are we are consulting, but it's not your question.

00:44:54Councillor Christians, if the presiding officer is advised that a question for oral reply deals with matters of a statistical nature, he or she may decide that the question be placed on the question paper for written reply. A councillor may ask up to two questions for oral reply at any question time, up to four questions for oral reply relating to a particular department.

00:45:27Councillors may read their questions. Nowhere in this 108 does it say another councillor can have a follow up on another councillor's question. I thank you. I have ruled.

00:45:43I thank you. I have ruled. And I can use my discretion, but right now it is somebody else's question. Thank you so much.

Questions for written reply

00:45:56Uh councillors, we proceed with item 5B, and those are questions for written reply of which notice has been given in terms of Rule 105, Subsection 2 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.

00:46:10Executive Mayor, Councillor Dada Morero.

00:46:15Thank you, Speaker. The responses are loaded on the portal, and I guess the councillors will see it on the portal. Thanks.

00:46:26The question The questions has been loaded on the drive. The answers are on the drive. I don't see any hands that says it's not there. Thank you so much, Executive Mayor.

Executive Mayor's Question Time: infrastructure decay and water (EFF)

00:46:39We proceed with item 5C, and that's the Executive Mayor's Question Time of which notice has been given in terms of Rule 112, Subsection 4A of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.

00:46:53Um the first person or the first councillor is Councillor K. Mosehla from the EFF. Councillor Mosehla.

00:47:08SepediKe a leboga, Speaker. Ke leboga opportunity. Eh ntwe ya mathomo, Speaker, e tshwanetse ke le botse yona ke gore mo re dutseng gona di charging point ga di bereke. Go na le load shedding ka mo morago, Mayor. Ka mo go na le load shedding. Kgopela gore le e lokise, that's one. Um

00:47:35SepediNtate Majoro, mo re tswang gona nna mo ke tswang ge nka tsena ka thoeleteng ge ke etswa tshwanetse ke hlape mmele because dithoelete tsa nkgadi go rilwe. Mo di areeng tse di tshwanang le bo Diepsloot, bo Ivory Park, Klipspruit, Orange Farm ga go na metsi.claim

00:48:00SepediSe se nkwešang bohloko ke gore go tšere makgowa a Midrand gore le tle le kgone go lebelela taba ya metsi ka leihlo le le tshwanetseng mo Johannesburg. Ke kgale re lla ka metsi, Majoro. Ke kgale re tshela masepa all over Johannesburg mara go se na le tsebe e ekwang, go se na le leihlo le le bonang. Bjale ke kgopela go le botšiša taba šee.

00:48:31Honourable Executive Mayor, what specific and measurable interventions has the City of Johannesburg uh implemented or plans to implement to address and reverse the ongoing decay of infrastructure in the city? With particular reference to our water and sanitation systems, and how does the city intend to ensure that the basic services are restored,

00:49:00maintained and sustainably managed for all residents without further service delivery failures?

00:49:07SepediKe a leboga, Speaker.

00:49:09Thank you, Councillor Mosehla. Can we have the Executive Mayor, Councillor Morero respond?

00:49:20Thank you, Speaker of council, the Chief Whip of council, Chair of Chairs, and leaders of caucuses.claim

00:49:32SepediKe a leboga, Speaker. E re ke tšee nako le monyetla ke arabe potšišo yeo e botšišitšwego ke Councillor Mosehla. Ke a go dumedisa, Councillor Mosehla. La mathomo, ga go a tšea makgowa gore re tšee sephetho sa go ya Midrand re yo addressa the water challenges.

00:49:57SepediSouth Africa ye re dulago go yona re tšere sephetho gore pleke e bitšwago Johannesburg ga go sa na pleke e bitšwago ke ya makgowa.

00:50:06Post 1994, we have transformed our suburbs and our communities, and the bulk of those that live in Midrand are actually black and African, working class and the poor and the middle strata. The growth of the middle strata in Johannesburg is reflected through the developments that we have noticed and seen in the Midrand area.claim

00:50:32SepediYes, indeed o bolela therešo ge o re metsi ga a gona, re a sokola ka metsi. Eupša, di development tše re di bonago ko Midrand di bontšha goreclaim

00:50:49Grand Central Reservoir has now started to improve and showing signs of supply. The President Park remains challenged. It gets full, we distribute water, but the frequency of it being empty happens so quickly just at the point where we are supplying the water.claim

00:51:18So, the reservoir in President Park only gets to about 50%, and by the time we open it, within very few hours it's already at 0%, and hence we're unable to supply. And this is a result of harvesting of water, illegal connections in the area, which continue to constrain the system. What is the measurable issues that we are doing as the city? One,claim

00:51:47since the beginning of the financial year, we invested in the refurbishment of at least 19 reservoirs, President Park being included amongst those, with an intention of ensuring that at least we have sufficient storage and not lose the water that we are losing in the reservoirs as a result of leakages in those reservoirs. We also made a commitment to build four reservoirs, new reservoirs in the area of Midrand.claim

00:52:17Construction has started with one of them at 20 ML and the other one, which is an investment by the private developers at 10 ML, which gives you a total of about 30 ML of water to be built just around the Carlswald area in Midrand. Construction is meant to be concluded at least by December or February of 2020 uh December 2026

00:52:45alternatively at about February 2027. That is the work that's being undertaken in Midrand, and more reservoirs, three more will then be built in the area with three more towers, and one tower is indeed concluded. We have to to tell the truth that yes, the infrastructure of Johannesburg is old, it requires refurbishment. We are now doing the necessary investment. One,

00:53:14we are undertaking a process with National Treasury on what we call service entities reforms, which will see us being able to receive particular grants to invest in infrastructure. I do know that we are already receiving just around 400 million as part of the grant as part of the refurbish the the the service entity reforms, and we are on track towards refurbishing the infrastructure.

00:53:42We must agree that Johannesburg has grown with everybody coming to Johannesburg and we are now sitting at a population of about 5.8 million. Yes, indeed, the city in terms of deploying resources into bulk infrastructure has been behind and however, the private sector developments have been continuing, and thus the city is now playing a catch-up role towards what the developers and the private sector have been doing.

00:54:09Yes, we do apologize to all residents of Johannesburg who are badly affected by water supply. I know areas in Soweto, I know areas in Orange Farm and everywhere else, but I must say we are doing everything in our everything possible to ensure that water is supplied throughout.

00:54:31SepediKe a leboga, Councillor Mosehla.

00:54:32Indeed you have demonstrated that you are a representative of the people and making use of the council chamber to raise the voice of community members. Thank you, Speaker.

00:54:43Thank you, Executive Mayor. Councillor Mosehla, any follow up or are you good?

00:54:50SepediUm go tla loka, Speaker. Um Executive Mayor, le lekile go araba. Um ga la araba, le lekile.

00:55:04So, what I want to ask you, Executive Mayor, is that do you know that we don't have shortage of water in the City of Johannesburg, but we have a problem of leakages. We are losing more water. We don't have a problem of um um um um um reservoirs and and and everything else. We have a problem of losing waterclaim

00:55:34through sewer spillages and um dysfunctional water treatment plants. We also have a problem of decaying infrastructure. Small pipes um that were installed by the previous apartheid government in the 60s or the 50s are the ones that we are still using at the moment. And as you correctly mentioned, the population has has grown,

00:56:05but we are still using the same infrastructure, which is not capable uh enough to cater for all our residents. So,

00:56:15Sepediproblem e kgolo ke water loss. Metsi re na le ona. Lokišang gore re se ke ra lahlegelwa ke metsi. Ofišiale a di go botše nnete if ga o e tsebe. Problem ya rena ke gore metsi bjalo ka ge ke hlalositše re a tshela le masepa mo strateng. Ke a leboga.

00:56:39Thank you, Councillor Mosehla. Um Executive Mayor, do you want to respond to that?

00:56:48SepediKe a kgolwa, Madam Speaker, Councillor Mosehla o re fa maele. Ga se question, o no re fa maele gore re dire eng. Mme ge mo maeleng a re filwego ona,

00:57:02Johannesburg is accounting for about 12,000 km of water infrastructure and almost the same with sewer infrastructure, which is yes, it is badly damaged, it requires to be replaced. We are undertaking a pipe replacement. Due to limited resources in this financial year, we could only afford 84 km. We are now trying to escalateclaim

00:57:30uh that program so that we can at least target 2,600 uh pipe replacement, uh 2,600 km of pipe replacement. If that is done, it means you'll also reduce the losses that you're talking about in the leakages to at least 10%, which will result in the saving of just around 300 million on an annual basis. So, yes,claim

00:57:54Sepedire lebogela maele a gago, Councillor Mosehla.claim

00:57:56Thank you.

Executive Mayor's Question Time: Johannesburg Water Turnaround Plan (DA)

00:57:57Thank you so much. We have a next question. DA Councillor T. Meyers.

00:58:10Thank you, Madam Speaker, Executive Mayor, our DA caucus leader. Executive Mayor, in the council meeting of August 2024, this council unanimously approved the Johannesburg Water Turnaround Plan. And we've heard about some of the projects in your statement earlier on, which form part of this plan. But to date, we've actually seen very little of the plan's implementation. We know that part of the plan requires a capital expenditure increase of over 3 billion for this current financial year,claim

00:58:40yet only 1.7 billion was allocated for this financial year. At the same time, there was a over a R700 million loan that was approved in council in November last year. How much of that has been paid over to Johannesburg Water and not on paper? Executive Mayor, are you still committed to the Turnaround Plan, and how do you plan to catch up and see its full implementation? Thank you.claim

00:59:06Thank you, Councillor Meyers. Executive Mayor, your response.

00:59:13Thank you, Councillor Meyers, for your question. The turnaround strategy that council had adopted is on track. We are looking at options to increase the capital investment that has to be done in the water and sewer infrastructure. We are alive to the fact that the best way to deal with it as you do pipe replacement on the water, it has to be done parallel with that of sewer because in some instances

00:59:43you find them running together underneath. So, it will make sense that as you do water replacement, you also do water uh a sewer replacement. What are we doing? We are raising capital to expand uhclaim

01:00:00Uh you know that on the reservoirs already we have deployed resources I think around 500 million that were raised is also deployed on the reservoirs. We are also deploying an extra resources by saying the following, that we have to ring fence particular percentages of the water uh revenue towards to be reinvested into the water infrastructure. And that decision it's in accordance and in line with the service entity reforms. We have alsoclaim

01:00:30almost receiving about 400 million that would be getting as part of the service entity reforms, which is a grant that will help us to look into the pipe replacement. In essence, you are correct. We need about an average of about 3 billion annually for us to be able to deal with the backlog. With 1.7 billion already deployed, another 500 million already deployed, we are looking at other options. But we have then taken an aggressive viewclaim

01:01:00that let's go out in the market and raise at least R13 billion with an intention to address 2,000 600 kilometers and just around 1,000 and 1,008 uh sewer kilometers uh in this area of Joburg. So that's the commitment we are making. We have engaged several financial institutions with a view of raising blended finance, whether grants or loans, to be able to address this particularclaim

01:01:30problem. And should we succeed in doing so, we should then be on track in implementing our turnaround strategy. And I believe we will be succeeding. Thank you. Unless, of course, you vote me out today.claim

01:01:46Councillor Councillor Meyers, do you have a follow up? Yes, you can go.

01:01:56Thank you, Executive Mayor, for the explanation. Uh Executive Mayor, you've indicated that you are behind the turnaround plan and that you are pushing for it. And thank you for that. But we would like you to know, we would like you to guarantee that in this house and to the residents at large that you will be ring fencing in the new financial year, the revenue for Johannesburg Water. And if you can also just tell us where some of the money is coming from that has already arrived. Thank you.

01:02:22Executive Mayor, would you want to respond?

01:02:25Uh I just indicated that there's 400 million that has already arrived, which is the money that comes from National Treasury as part of the reforms. That's the money that has already arrived. Thank you.claim

01:02:40Thank you so much and we are done with the questions. Um STC.

Caucus break requests

01:02:50We now proceed with item six and that is the, okay. Okay.

01:02:57Councillor Mogapi.

01:03:02Thank you, Speaker. As the EFF caucus, we are requesting for 15 minutes break.

01:03:06How many?

01:03:0715 minutes.

01:03:08One five?

01:03:09Yes.

01:03:10Um okay, I will rule on that now. Councillor Munyayi.

01:03:20Uh greetings to you, Madam Speaker. Uh Even us as Action SA, we're requesting 30 minutes caucus break.

01:03:32Is there any other hands? Councillor Avant-Smith. Can I listen to the people that are speaking, please? Councillor Avant-Smith.

01:03:42Thanks, Speaker. The DA will would like a 30 minute caucus break in the same time, thank you.

01:03:4713?

01:03:4930.

01:03:50Three zero.

01:03:51Okay, there's two 30s and there's one 15. So we rule that we have 30 minute break, which means we will be back at at 12 30 sharp. If you are not here, we close the doors, you stay outside.

01:04:15Uh-uh. My watch says 12:00. Whoever is screaming at the back there, you asked for 15 minutes. We are giving you 30 minutes with the others. Thank you, colleagues.

01:40:01Councillors, we are out of sparkling water, we just have water. I will try to make the bubbles for you, I will put Drink-O-Pop in, it will make bubbles.

01:40:23Okay, I'm asking the last time, can we be seated? STC, can you read them? Can we get um Yoh, we have three people that are going to report back to us. Um, Councillor Mogapi, we were generous, we gave you extra 15 minutes. Please report back.

01:40:47Thank you, Speaker. As the EFF caucus, we are good, we can continue.

01:40:53Okay, they are good. Councillor

01:41:02TshivendaMunyayi, ndo livhuwa Vho-Sipikara. Rine sa dzangano la ActionSA ria livhuwa vho ri fha mithethe ya 30. Ri nga isa phanda, Ndaa.

01:41:17TshivendaNdaa.

01:41:19Councillor Avant-Smith.

01:41:23Thank you, Speaker, and thank you for the indulgence. The DA is happy, thank you.

Request for caucus rooms

01:41:30Thank you so much. Welcome, Councillor Sifumba. You come in with a hand up. Thank you. They already caucused. I'm not sure, you asking for another caucus? Mm-mm.

01:41:45Thank you very much, Speaker, for your indulgence. I think my standing up has to do with a request, a humble request to yourself, with regards to having caucus rooms, where we can meet for caucuses. We appreciate the fact that the system is now working, which is great progress. May we kindly please, we beseech you, we beg, may we have proper caucus rooms?

01:42:09isiZuluYoh, ilanga lishisile Speaker, siyabonga.

01:42:13The legislature has in the budget asked that we can do something. We are going to do it, it's not short-term, it will be a long-term thing that we want to do, but we are working on it. Yeah, okay. STC.

Election of Chairperson of Section 79 Health and Social Development Committee

01:42:34Councillors, we resume with item 6 and that's election of the chairperson of Section 79 Health and Social Development Committee, in terms of Rule 24 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.

01:42:48Thank you. Was there someone screaming on my right-hand side, Speaker? Okay. Um colleagues, I've received one nomination form and the form has been properly filled in. The proposer of the form is Lubabalo Magwentshu and Lubabalo Lubabalo Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry. Lubabalo Magwentshu, he is the person that nominated Thabisa Anthea Mogapi for the position of Chairperson and then there's a seconder, Yongama Zigebe, who seconds that seconds Lubabalo and the councillor has accepted. I will now ask that the proposer reads out to us and then we'll get the seconder to second and then we will get the acceptance from the nominated person. I hope that both these people, the proposer and the seconder is in the room so that we can do this. Our 30 minutes is long ago past.

01:44:42I don't see the proposer getting up and I don't see the seconder.

01:44:53Eh.

01:44:56Colleagues, I've asked that we are on time when we do things. We said 30 minutes, our 30 minutes was gone. Can we get Zigebe to come in? I have so nicely asked that we are here, that when we do our items we are present. Can the proposer start proposing so that we can read it into record?

01:45:29Greetings, Speaker. I, Councillor Lubabalo Magwentshu, hereby nominate Councillor Thabisa Anthea Mogapi for the position of Chairperson of the Section 79 Health and Social Development Committee.

01:45:54Thank you, Councillor. Can we have the seconder?

01:46:01Thank you, Speaker. I, Councillor Yongama Zigebe, second the nomination of Councillor Mogapi for the position of the Chairperson of Section 79 Oversight Committee on Health and Social Development. Thank you.

01:46:19Thank you, Councillor. Can I have Councillor Thabisa accept the nomination?

01:46:30Thank you, Speaker, and greetings again. My name is Thabisa Mogapi. I accept the nomination of being the Chairperson of Health and Social Development, thank you.

01:46:40Thank you, colleagues. We therefore do not have any other nomination. There was only the one nomination, so Councillor Mogapi is now the Chairperson of Health and Social Development.

01:47:13Thank you so much. That was easy. Next item, STC.

Election of Deputy Executive Mayor: legal procedure and IEC preparations

01:47:19We are now on item 7 and that's the election of the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Municipality.

01:47:28Thank you, colleagues. Um councillors, please note that the Independent Electoral Commission, which is the IEC and not the AIC, has been requested to conduct the election process and they have acceded to the request. I therefore request all councillors and relevant officials to cooperate with the IEC in this regard. Before we commence with the elections of the Deputy Executive Mayor, I must bring the following to the attention of councillors.

01:48:08In terms of Section 55(1) of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998, Act No. 117

01:48:36Um, if you are in the gallery, you are not allowed to take pictures unless you are an accredited media house and you have applied to us, to the Speaker's Office to have accreditation as a media house to be present here, so because protocol has brought it to my attention that there are people that's not on our list that has been taken pictures taking pictures. So please, can you stop doing that? Um protocol, please. Apologies. In terms of Section 55(1) of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998, Act No. 117 of 1998, as amended, hereinafter referred to as the Act, if a municipal council chooses to have an Executive Mayor, it must elect an Executive Mayor and if the MEC for local government so approves, also an Executive Deputy Mayor.

01:49:56And it has been approved. The election will be done in accordance with Schedule 3: Elections of the Municipal Office-bearers, which provides that the procedure set out in the schedule applies whenever a municipal council meets to elect a Speaker, an Executive Mayor, a Deputy Executive Mayor, a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor. In terms of the Schedule 3 of the Act, as the presiding officer, I must call for nominations of candidates for the position of Deputy Executive Mayor at this meeting.

01:50:37Each nomination must be submitted on the prescribed form and must be signed by two councillors, a nominee and a seconder. A person's nomination must indicate acceptance of the nomination by signing the nomination form. Furthermore, I draw your attention to item 4 of Schedule 3 to the Act, in terms of which the person presiding at this meeting must announce the names of persons who has been nominated as candidate, but may not permit a debate.

01:51:26In terms of item 5 of the schedule, if only one candidate has been nominated, the person presiding must declare that the candidate is elected. If more than one candidate is nominated in accordance with item 6 of the schedule, a vote must be taken at a meeting by secret ballot. Each councillor present at a meeting may cast one vote.

01:52:00The person presiding must declare must be declared must declare elected the candidate who receives the majority of the votes. In terms of item 7 of the schedule: Elimination Procedure, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the candidate who receives the lower number of votes must be eliminated and a further vote taken on the remaining candidates in accordance with item 6.

01:52:33This procedure must be repeated until a candidate receives the majority of the votes. When applying subitem 1, if two or more candidates each have the lowest number of votes, a separate vote must be taken on those candidates and repeated as often as may be necessary to determine which candidate is to be eliminated. In terms of item 8, which speaks about further meetings, if only two candidates are nominated, or if only two candidates remain after an elimination procedure has been applied and those two candidates receive the same number of votes, a further meeting must be held within seven days at a time determined by the person presiding.

01:53:34If a further meeting is held in terms of subitem 1, the procedure prescribed in this schedule must be applied at that meeting, as if it were the first meeting for the elections in question. If at a further meeting held in terms of subitem 1, only two candidates are nominated, or if only two candidates remain after the elimination procedure has been applied and those two candidates receive the same number of votes, the person presiding at such a meeting must determine by lot who of the two candidates will hold the office for which the election has taken place. The meeting will now proceed with the election process of the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Municipality in accordance with Schedule 3 to the Act as I have outlined. I will now hand over to the Independent Electoral Commission. I believe they are somewhere here or they are standing outside so they'll come in.

01:55:14They are just checking with them to come in, right? Then we'll start the process.

01:56:22Speaker.

01:56:32I hear someone coughing into the into the mic, but I don't see a hand. Is it Councillor Mosehla? Yes, Councillor.

01:56:41I was not coughing, I was calling your name. I don't know where is the coughing coming from. Speaker, I've raised an issue of charging points. I don't know if it's the whole chamber that's affected, but our phones are dying because we can't charge them. All our gadgets are dying because we can't charge them. Can you please and your office correct that situation?

01:57:12SepediGoba le re fe ditulo tše dingwe. Ke a leboga.

01:57:19I'm not certain where the charging point is, but IT, can you check on these charging points? Because I know there's where a plug goes in, where there's a click one that charges. So if we can check, um the others I'm not sure. Okay, IT says it is a maintenance problem, it's not in their job description, but also the fact that there are gadgets that go in and it blows somewhere. Thank you, but we'll look into it. Ask someone to charge your phone at where the charging point is. Is the IEC inside?

01:58:25Frans, where's the IEC? So, IEC we've outlined. Can you as the IEC now give unto them, unto councillors?

02:00:51Is the IEC ready? Can we start?

02:01:02Good afternoon. Thank you, Speaker. And good afternoon, Honourable Members of Council. My name is Ali Makabane from the Electoral Commission in the City of Johannesburg. Thank you for entrusting the Electoral Commission of South Africa with the administration of the election of the Deputy Executive Mayor in the City of Johannesburg. All protocol observed.

02:01:33I'm not alone. I am with a team here that has been drawn from some of the 15 offices in the City of Johannesburg. It is common cause that the Electoral Commission is constitutionally mandated to administer elections of national, provincial and local government legislative bodies,

02:02:01but also from time to time we do accede to requests to facilitate elections of municipal office bearers in line with Schedule 3 of the Municipal Structures Act.

02:02:30Our duty today is to facilitate elections of the Deputy Executive Mayor in the city, preceded by nominations of candidates for the position. Schedule 3 of the Municipal Structures Act guides us on the nomination process as follows. The person presiding at the meeting to which this schedule applies must call for the nomination of candidates at the meeting.

02:03:02A nomination must be made on the form determined by the municipal manager. The form on which a nomination is made must be signed by two members of the municipal council. A person who is nominated must indicate acceptance on the nomination form by signing either the nomination form or any other form of written confirmation.

02:03:34Announcement of names of candidates: at the meeting to which this schedule applies, the person presiding must announce the names of the persons who have been nominated as candidates, but may not permit any debate. In case of a single candidate: if only one candidate is nominated, the person presiding must declare that candidate elected.

02:04:03It is at this point, Madam Speaker, that we actually wish to start and, as mandated, open for nominations.

02:04:20Are you saying, Ali, that we are now open for nominations?

02:04:24Yes, that's what we want to do, but I have asked the colleagues to print the nomination forms, because we did not print them.

02:04:33Okay, can the IEC distribute the nomination forms?

02:04:53Okay, the nomination forms will be given. In the meantime, let's see who's Hey, there's a movement at the back here on my left-hand side, and I'm unable to concentrate. Seriously, we cannot do that. No, no, no, at the back there, Councillor, not you. Can we please, colleagues? Okay, the nomination forms will be handed out now.

02:05:27They are just picking it up. It's been printed. I would also want to just say that you will look at the face, it's not the same officer that always does our elections. So maybe he's also just about nervous with all of us. Yeah, Ali, they are good people. We are all good people here. So don't be nervous. Just move on.

02:05:57Through you, Madam Speaker, maybe I may proceed with and just outline the election process while we're waiting for the printing of the nomination.

02:06:06I went through how it's done. I've done that. What you must just do is what the Electoral, the IEC will be doing. If we can just fast track those forms. Patience, can you assist where they're printing?

02:06:38Okay, in respect of the voting process flow, we will use the current list of active councillors that we have printed from the IEC's Candidate Nomination System. And we will call councillors to come forward to vote.

02:07:09And once councillors are at the centre where we are going to set up our voting station, we will expect them to... Okay.

02:07:30Ali, the Secretary to Council will be calling out the names as our roll call, and we will then do that. You are only going to oversee the process. We will do all that for you. Councillor Christians.

02:07:53Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this morning you announced the name of a PR Councillor that's come in, but you did not announce the name of the winner of the by-election yesterday. Does she qualify in terms of what has...claim

02:08:10I didn't press the thing down, but I have not been officially told by the IEC who won the elections. And I'm saying officially. I have not been told officially who has won the by-elections. When I get it officially, I will announce and will also swear in that Councillor officially. Thank you.

02:08:46Okay, Patience is printing the nomination forms.

02:09:07Ali, what we're going to ask the IEC is, IEC must please tell us. We are a council of 270 councillors, that we don't have 270 right now. I think we have 268 councillors. That's with the exception of those who are not here and all that. But you must tell us how many ballots are you going to print?

02:09:35And also tell us how much time are you going to need to set up your voting station? Because we know from past experience that we are going to give you party agents, but we also want to know how long you're going to take to set up the station and how many ballots are you going to print. If you can, for now, whilst we are waiting on that printing of yours.

02:10:05Okay, it's done, but it will be coming now. Just give us those two items. How many are you printing, and how long will you take to set up?

02:10:15Okay. Thank you, Speaker. Yes, indeed, we will print 275. That is 270 in line with the number of councillors in the chambers and just about five extra ballots. So we will print 275. And indeed, we will ask for agents or observers that will assist us in observing the electoral process.

02:10:47I also want to address the issue of documents that we're going to use. We agreed actually when we had a meeting, Madam Speaker, that we will use the official documents, the green barcoded ID, or the smart card, or a valid temporary identification certificate. So those are the only documents that we will accept for voting.

02:11:20And it will take us, we will request at least 30 minutes, Madam Speaker, to set up the voting stations once the nomination process is concluded.

02:11:37So you're going to need 30 minutes for the nomination. Those forms are taking very long to come here, and I don't want to tire councillors whilst we are doing this process.

02:12:02So Speaker, I wanted to check...

02:12:11I can't hear you. I can't hear you, MMC.

02:12:30MMC, use the mic next to you. Councillor Simonse.

02:12:48Okay? Madam Speaker, just a suggestion, if we're going to take 30 minutes to get IEC ready, is lunch not ready? Then we can kill two birds at one stone.

02:12:57Councillor Simonse, just hold on. IEC, I believe you have printed the forms. So we are asking for the forms, and you are like not giving the forms to us so that we are able to do what we have to do. No, colleagues, no, no. Can you get the forms so that we are able to give out the forms?

02:13:26Through you, Madam Speaker...

02:13:27The forms are here, and I'm asking my staff to print forms!

02:13:34These are the nomination forms that we want to distribute once we open the nomination, Madam Speaker.

02:13:42Yes, so can we start doing that?

02:13:45Honourable Councillors, the nomination process has now opened. We will issue the forms. Maybe if you put your hand up, my colleagues here will then bring a form to you so that you complete it accordingly.

02:14:06Colleagues, can we see who wants nomination forms? And then we raise our hands, and you get the nomination forms.

02:14:31I saw another hand on this side. I saw two hands here, and I saw one hand here. Did you get a form, Avante? Are you fine?

02:14:58Did those that put their hands up get forms? Chair Ndlela, you wanted a form. Did you get? MMC Kunene, you wanted a form. Did you get? Thank you. Who else wanted a form? Okay. Can you now explain what happens after that?

02:15:37Yes, Madam Speaker, once we receive the nomination forms back, we will compile a nomination report quickly and then hand it over to you so that you can announce who the candidates are for the position. Allow us...

02:15:54Thank you so much.

02:16:08I know that we don't speak on behalf of different political parties. They speak on their own behalf.

02:18:03Those who have completed the nomination form, they can indicate so that we can collect it or they bring it back to us.

Nominations and election of the Deputy Executive Mayor

02:18:13If you've completed your form, give it to the IEC so that they can give it to myself. Where are your forms, Councillor Christians? Are you calling for them to pick up your form? Can I help you?

02:18:31Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, based on the previous council meeting where the Democratic Alliance rejected the position of Deputy Mayor, the DA will not be participating in this election. Thank you.claim

02:18:47No, that's fine. That's okay. We are a democratic country, and we do things, yeah. That's fine, Councillor. Have we done with the forms? Councillor Bittkau, are we filling in a form? Okay.

02:19:56I have three forms with me. Did we only give out three forms? IEC, did you only give out three forms? Thank you so much. It's very difficult if somebody screams, then you can't hear them because they're speaking above their voices.

02:20:24I've received three forms, and the three forms have been filled in accordingly. I have one with a nominator that is Adolph Marema. And he... Can you close this door? And he nominates... Oh, and he has a seconder who is Nkosazana Ndlela.

02:20:53And the second seconder is Tefo Albert Raphadu, and they have nominated MMC Loyiso Masuku. Then I have a second form which is, the nominator is Councillor Thapelo Kenneth Kunene, and he is seconded, oh, by the next name that is Thapelo Amad.

02:21:27And the second seconder is Duayne Ponsonby, and the nomination is also for Loyiso Masuku. And then I have a third form that is written on a beautiful essay, "The Democratic Alliance, we do not agree," and it's exactly what Councillor Christians has said.

02:21:56So I only have two forms, and I would want the nominators and the seconders to get up and read their forms, and then I would want the person that was nominated to accept. Is it fine if we read into record like this?

02:22:55Can I proceed, Speaker? I, Councillor Adolph Marema, rise to nominate Councillor MMC Loyiso Masuku for the position of Executive Deputy Mayor.

02:23:19Thank you.

02:23:32The next, the seconders, you can carry on as seconders, right?

02:23:39Thank you, Speaker. I, Makhosazana Ndlela, duly second the nomination for MMC Loyiso Masuku for being the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg. Thank you.

02:23:52The next seconder, second seconder?

02:23:58Afternoon, Madam Speaker. I, Albert Tefo Raphadu, rise to second the nominee for the Deputy Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, MMC Loyiso Masuku. Thank you very much.

02:24:14Can MMC Masuku take acceptance from that?

02:24:22Morning, Speaker. I, Loyiso Masuku, duly accept the nomination for the position of Deputy Executive Mayor for the City of Johannesburg. Thank you.

02:24:32Thank you, MMC. Can I have the next one? We're doing this because we need to read it into record. They would want us at the province to give them.

02:24:50I, Honourable Thapelo Kenneth Kunene, hereby nominate Councillor, Honourable MMC Loyiso Masuku as the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg. Salute.

02:25:13Thank you. Who's the seconder on it? Can I have the seconder and then the second seconder after the seconder?

02:25:21Greetings, Speaker. I, Thapelo Amad, second the nomination of the Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillor Loyiso Masuku. Thank you.

02:25:31Thank you so much. Can I have the next, the second seconder?

02:25:37AfrikaansDankie,

02:25:38Madam Speaker. I, Councillor Duayne Ponsonby, rise to second-second the nomination of the Honourable MMC Loyiso Masuku. Let's put our hands together. Thank you.

02:25:55Speaker!

02:25:56Councillor Masindi.

02:25:57No, there is this person there, is not allowed to do what he's doing.

02:26:05Colleagues, can you hold on? I have asked that people that are not media people, and if you are not a media person from the city, not to do what you are doing. If you are... Oh, okay, I see who it is. Yeah, no, it's fine. It's fine, Mbali. No, no, no, I know the person. It's a media person. I know her.

02:26:37And I also know that we have a problem... Uh-uh. She's on my list. I also want to tell you that they are unable, IT, they are unable to hear on the top. So that's why some of them are on the... And I hope you don't drop down there, Mbali. I'll cry. Okay, colleagues, let me start with the results.

02:27:09The results are as follow. Oh, the second seconder has read. No, they've done it. Oh, Councillor Masuku, can you just accept the second one, please?

02:27:28Thank you, Speaker. I, Loyiso Masuku, hereby accept the nomination for the position of Deputy Executive Mayor for the City of Johannesburg. Thank you.

02:27:39Thank you, MMC. Colleagues, the results are as follows. We only had one person, and Councillor Masuku has been duly elected as the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg.

02:28:13IEC, you don't have to set up. Thank you so much. We appreciate your services. Councillor Masuku, oh, Deputy Executive Mayor-elect, we will be doing your swearing-in in the next hour.

02:28:42The RCP has just confirmed he will be here to swear you in in the next hour. Okay. Thank you so much. We're moving to the next item.

Recommendations to council: order of business

02:28:57Councillors, we proceed with recommendations to council.

02:29:04Colleagues, we are going to go for lunch now at 2:00. We are going to... We are going to read the recommendations into record, and then we will go for lunch, and then we will be back, because remember we're also going to have a break in between where we will be swearing in the Deputy Executive Mayor-elect.

02:29:40Can you read the item in?

02:29:48The first item on recommendations. Sorry, on recommendations to council.

02:29:59Executive Mayor.

02:30:00Mayor, we need the recommendations.

02:30:03Uh thanks Speaker. I stand I stand to present recommendations for Council consideration. Thank you.

02:30:12Thank you. Uh Chair of Chairs, recommendations for the Legislature. Just hold on, just just hold on, Chair of Chairs. LOEB.

02:30:24Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Executive on behalf of the Executive, we would like to request to withdraw Item 9.

02:30:44And then on behalf of the Executive, um we would like um to request that the Section 71 reports be read together.

02:31:02Which items are your Section 79 reports?

02:31:0471, ma'am.

02:31:12I want your item number.

02:31:14One, yes, two, yes, three, yes, and four.

02:31:24Those you want them to be read out together?

02:31:26Yes, please, ma'am.

02:31:27Okay.

02:31:28But obviously, through um whippery consultation, in an event where there are speakers, they should they will be allowed in line with the whippery consultation.

02:31:38Okay.

02:31:39Um thank you, ma'am.

02:31:43Is that all for the Executive? Thank you so much. Um

02:31:47Speaker?

02:31:48Yes, ma'am?

02:31:49Uh we would like, on behalf of the Executive, our budget items to please follow immediately after the Section 71, because of the LOAs that were recorded in Council.

02:32:07The budget items?

02:32:09Yes, Item 19 and 20. Yes, please, ma'am. Thank you.

02:32:13Okay. So we we as the Executive, we are going to do um one, two, three, four, we'll read them all together. You have you have taken away Item 9, and then immediately after that, we do your budget items. Okay, in that sequence. Um Chair of Chairs, the items for the Legislature?

02:32:44Uh thank you very much, uh Honourable Speaker. I rise to table recommendations from the Legislature. Thank you very much.

02:32:56Thank you so much. And that's that's all. You're not you won't have a brain wave later that you're asking for anything? Okay. Colleagues, it's now What's it? 1:35?

02:33:16to do the first items that the Executive has asked, and then we'll go for lunch. Or do you want to go for lunch first? I'm giving you the options. Go for lunch and come back? Okay, I'm going Ah, you don't seem to be agreeing. I'm going to kill the first four, and then we we go for lunch. Thank you so much.

Items 1 to 4: MFMA in-year financial reports (Sept to Dec 2025)

02:33:40Councillors, the first item on recommendations to Council is Item 1, uh the City of Johannesburg MFMA in-year financial report uh for the period ended 30th September 2025, read together with Item 2, which is the City of Johannesburg MFMA in-year financial report for the period ended 31st of October 2025. Also read with Item 3, and that's the City of Johannesburg MFMA in-year report financial uh report for the period ended 30th November 2025. And lastly, read together with Item 4, which is the City of Johannesburg MFMA in-year financial report for the period ended 31st December 2025.

02:34:24Okay. The speakers on the item, ActionSA, S. Nkonyeni. I see that you are on all four the items, so when you speak, you speak on all four. Is Councillor Nkonyeni in the house?

02:34:50Uh thank you, Speaker. Just a moment, Speaker. Sorry. Uh

02:35:01You've lost 2 seconds, hey?

02:35:03Mm.

02:35:21Uh Speaker, is it possible for me to come after? Can I come after?

02:35:27No, Councillor Nkonyeni. No. No.

02:35:33Yeah, my laptop is giving me issues.

02:35:35Remember you knew that you are going to speak on these items, and these items are all in order for you to speak on them. So, I I I can't. I can't, and you have lost already 3 minutes. No, not half. It's 3 minutes. The clock is in front of me.

02:36:10isiZulu[inaudible] Ngizowanutha ngivele ngiwanuthe.

02:36:12Okay, thank No, thank you, Speaker.

02:36:13I'm going to skip you, I'll go to the next person, but get yourself right. I wouldn't want that to be a precedent, that when we are struggling and and and we are just doing it that way, we can't do it.

02:36:25Thank you, Speaker.

02:36:26You are taking time. Someone could have spoken after that. Can I have Councillor Mkhonza? I hope you are ready with all four the items and speak. Thank you.

02:36:40Yes. Um Shalom, shalom, Madam Speaker. Um allow me to first acknowledge our Almighty God, eternally existent in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. To also acknowledge the Executive Mayor and his team.

02:37:03Um to also greet the ACDP councillors under the leadership of Councillor Harris. Also greet um our residents, our Joburg residents. I greet you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

02:37:19Amen.

02:37:20Uh Madam Speaker, allow me to first uh quote from my guiding manual, the Holy Bible, from the book of Isaiah 1:18, but my major focus will be on the first um line, which says, "Come now, let us reason together, the Lord." Um I will qualify that as soon as I I get into the speech. I'm just going to focus on that. Madam Speaker, that scripture speaks to a woman leader.

02:38:03Um Councillor MMC Masuku, I'm speaking I'm standing here because I'm raised by a single woman, raising six boys, who was a domestic worker, who raised us without blaming apartheid, nor blaming our biological our biological father for having deserted us. So I stand here to congratulate you, MMC Masuku, because I was not here on the first meeting of Council, uh both for being elected as the Regional Chair of the ANC, and also today you are elected as the Deputy Executive um Mayor. So I congratulate you for representing women, and I know that you are not just a token, because tokenism is killing this country. One of the things that differentiates you from tokenism is that you are a great listener, number one. Number two, you read reports. And you also answer all our questions, though we usually disagree.

Items 1-4: ACDP on Section 71 in-year reports

02:39:25For that, I congratulate you, and I didn't know that today you will be elected as a Executive Mayor, but I prepared the speech in advance just to congratulate to congratulate you as a woman, because I I'm very biased to women because I'm raised by a single woman, who who was getting paid After 40 years of working, she got R8,000, so when it comes to women, I'm so emotional because um I know you are a woman, you will be rejected, but stand strong. And as you are rejected, just remember that when God has anointed you, nobody can do anything. So the Lord bless you, the Lord keep you, the Lord protect you, the Lord give you peace that surpasses all human comprehension in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

02:40:21Amen.

02:40:22Yeah. So now let us um return to the substantive matters relating to the Section 71 reports. At this stage, Madam Speaker, we will focus on the underlying principles and oversight implications, as the horse has already uh bolted, noting that many of the uh variances have already materialised. We acknowledge the year-to-date variances um reflected across the reports and remain concerned about the ongoing trend in cash flow um performance. The comparison between the cash inflows and the outflows continues to reflect a worrying um trajectory. A decrease of 3.1 billion in September, followed by a further decrease of 588 million in October. Um although an increase of 1.7 billion is noted in November, this is offset by a subsequent decrease of 1.2 billion in December 2026, which suggests a continued volatility and pressure and pressure on the City's liquidity position.

02:41:34In this regard, we would like to direct a question also um to the MMC of Finance and maybe the Group um CFO, because somewhere the report indicates that outflows exceed inflows, yet the report says this reflects a positive movement on the overall cash balance, which is page 2.3. Um it might be a typo, or it might be a cut and paste syndrome, I don't know. So we would like uh for you to kindly clarify this apparent inconsistency, as it may be a a a typo, as I said, or a cut and paste oversight that requires correction for the sake of accurate financial reporting and transparency. Now turning to the legislating framework, Section 71 of the Municipal um Finance Management Act stipulates, in essence, that the accounting officer must, not later than 10 days after the end of each month, submit a financial report to the Mayor and the Provincial Treasury.

02:42:50Now, in the interest of strengthening governance and accountability, we once again humbly request that the very same report submitted by the accounting officer, who's seated next to you, uh Group CFO, uh Dr. uh Floyd Brink, that the same report submitted by the accounting officer within the prescribed 10-days period to the Mayor and the Provincial um Treasury also be shared timeously with the Section 79 Committee. As the ACDP caucus, we firmly believe that access to these reports will significantly enhance our ability to execute our oversight responsibilities effectively and support the City in maintaining sound financial management. Furthermore, with regard to the debtors book, we continue to encourage all councillors and City employees to lead by example by ensuring that municipal services are paid for, as financial discipline must begin internally.

02:43:59We therefore urge the Group Finance and the Revenue Management team to prioritise the recovery of what we regard as the low-hanging fruit, particularly the outstanding debt owed by organs of state, which currently exceeds 2.2 billion, as this presents a critical opportunity to improve revenue collection and stabilise the City's financial um position. In conclusion, Speaker, uh the ACDP notes the report. God bless Africa, especially the people of Sudan, which represents the largest and fastest displacement crisis in the world. The largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded. Over 12 million are displaced, and leaving 30.4 million in humanitarian aid or support. We continue to pray for the shalom, shalom peace of Jerusalem, the people in Gaza, the surrounding areas, the resilient people of Israel, as we declare Jeremiah 1:19 over them, "They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail, for the Lord is with you." Shalom, shalom.

02:45:19Amen.

Items 1-4: FF+ on R3 billion Standard Bank loan and cash position

02:45:21AfrikaansDankie, dankie. Um Councillor Boer, jy praat op met op al vier items. Dankie.

02:45:32Thank you, Madam Speaker, um Executive Mayor, fellow councillors. I am rising on Item 1 to 4. Um Madam Speaker, before I start on the Finance items, um I want to point this out to this Council that the current Executive, and it seems to me it's a Government of Local Unity, is doing everything in their possibility to keep reports away from Section 79 Oversight Committee. None of the first eight items on this um recommendations served on Section 79. We had our Section 79 meeting last week Wednesday, only a week ago, that none of those reports were were tabled at Section 79, and this is very utmost concerning, and I start understanding why those reports are kept away from from Section 79, because there is so much oversight to be done, um and we will get probably will get to that.claim

02:46:35Um Madam Speaker, I'm not going to speak about every quarter in particular, because every one's got some some highlights. What was concerning in the September report is on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, that is called the balance sheet, it says that the City's trade and other payables was standing at R27.5 billion uh at the end of September, although there's another report that shares says it was only 12.2 billion. But even at 12.2 billion trade payables, that means that is more than 2 months of our total income. How are we going to pay our creditors in 30 days if we got such big amounts outstanding? In the October report, Madam Speaker, the concerning figure there is electricity. Electricity year-to-date income for the 4 months until the end of October was standing at 8.5 billion, and Madam Speaker, we paid Eskom 8.6 billion. So we paid R100,000 ag R100 million more to Eskom than we collected from our residents, and that is a utmost concerning figure. That is why why the overdraft for City Power is so huge, and I know, we all know, it's because of the winter tariffs that Eskom is asking us.claim

02:47:56And I've we've asked this question many times on the Committee: Why need electricity to be more expensive in winter months than in summer months? And we never got an explanation for that, that that is crippling City Power during the winter months. Um Eskom always always use as an excuse why they cannot generate electricity, they use the wet coal and that wet weather and the storms and everything. In South Africa's winter months, we got 5 months of full sunshine sunshine weather, generating electricity at a cheaper cost than in summer months. But although that is the fact, the tariffs in for that a municipal municipalities has to pay in winter are much higher, and that is that is impacting tremendously on on on on on on City Power, and we see that in the figures, because the overdraft from from from City Power went up from 16 billion in in in July, no, in September, to 19 billion in at the end of December.claim

02:49:00So, City Power is costing the City enormous amount of money. I'm going to November, Madam Speaker, and that is the biggest concern. In November's MFMA report, we saw with a shock that the City borrowed R3 billion on a short-term loan from Standard Bank. Madam Speaker, this loan was never approved by Council. Um how can the officials or the Executive incur a loan with Standard Bank of R3 billion without Council approval? We don't know what the terms are. It is a short-term loan, so we assume it has to be repaid before the end of June of this current financial year. We don't know what the interest rates are, that if it was not for that that R3 billion loan, Madam Speaker, our City would have been bankrupt. There would have been no money in the bank. Um so this loan came in.claim

02:49:58The collection rates in November and December are looking terrible: 83.3% in November, 82% in December. Madam Speaker, if we are collecting this, we will we we are heading for a enormous disaster. If we look on uh the December report of all the entities, only three entities reported a positive cash flow, and strangely enough, it was Pikitup, and I think that is because of the strike they had, they didn't pay their employees. Uh the other one was Fresh Produce, and Madam Speaker, Fresh Produce, that is a example how a municipal entity can be run. A small entity in terms of all the others, it brought in R400 million to the City. And then the other one was Roads, um JRA, R350 million positive inflow, um instead of just fixing our our roads and our potholes, that only three entities. And Madam Speaker, the two culprits here, and that's why I cannot understand why the DA is asking for ring-fencing of water money, because Johannesburg Water cost the City for this 6 months R1.3 billion.claim

02:51:11So there is nothing to be ring-fenced. It is a a shortage in in Johannesburg Water. City Power's shortage was R4 billion. And that is all that come has to come out of the City's coffers. Madam Speaker, I'm going closing off with the the income statement for December year-to-date, um and those figures are shocking. If you look on the service charges, electricity income for the 6 months, R12.9 billion. Yes, it's R80 million above above budget, that our our cost of electricity, our bulk purchases are standing at R11.4 billion, over budget of 600 million. So although we only collected R80 million more than budget, we paid out 600 million more than budget. Water is even worse. Water we collected 5.6, R340 million down on budget, that we paid out to Rand Water 3.9 billion, which is R330,000 over budget.claim

02:52:20So those two entities combined is 600 million for Johannesburg Water and 600 million for City Power. That shows us only one thing: we are paying more out than we are billing. So, we are again back to non-revenue water, and those are the those are the figures not even taking into account the actual payment uh rate, which is which is terrible. That only on the billing alone, we are losing R1.2 billion extra because of non-revenues: non-revenue water, non-revenue electricity. And we can speak about water crisis, it will never be solved unless we start paying huge attention to our non-revenue water, the water that that seeps away in the ground, the water that is not billed, that is that is bypassed by by our residents, that is that is illegally consumed. And we can talk about turnaround strategies and turnaround plans, we do not see anything on that. Madam Speaker, the City is in serious, serious financial problems. If you've already used up our R3 billion loan that we normally get in May to fund our our Capex projects, this year there will be nothing to fund our Capex projects. In fact, we need to incur a R3 billion long-term loan to repay this short-term loan again. We are in serious, serious problem. Thank you, Madam Speaker.claim

02:53:46AfrikaansDankie, Raadslid Boer.

Items 1-4: DA on expenditure, loan approval and cost containment

02:53:49Uh Councillor Santana from the DA.

02:53:54Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak on Items 1 to 4, being the MFMA in-year reports for the end of September, October, November, and December. Madam Speaker, I just need to highlight to this Council that the Section 71 reports before us is not just a compliance document in terms of the Municipal Finance Act. It's a diagnostic tool. It tells us whether the City is a living within its means, managing risk responsibly, and protecting residents who pay their bills. From the Democratic Alliance um perspective, the picture is mixed, and we should be very concerned. If we move to the operating performance, let's start with revenue. Revenue is obviously um revenue was stable throughout the 4 months, so we can we can applaud the the Department for ensuring that our revenue was stable through that that period. However, the problem comes when we get to our expenditure. The expenditure has grown. In September, we kept we kept within budget. In October, we were 1% over budget. In November, we were 3% over budget, and cumulatively by December, we were 4% over our budget.claim

02:55:11That creates a huge risk for the City in terms of our costs outstripping our revenue. And if we are not doing cost containment within the City, we are heading for disaster. Madam Speaker, I've largely been covered by Councillor Boer on all the issues, so I will not repeat those issues, but I need to put this to the Council: Who in this Council approved the R3 billion short-term loan? I thought, as Council being the highest decision-making body, that it comes to Council with a term sheet of when it's paying back. We understand it's a short-term, so it's payable back before the end of June, but what is that interest rate? We never agreed upon that. So if I look at what's transpired, the Executive has abused Council on a has abused Council in not bringing the the policy or the term sheet to Council for approval by this Council, which they keep on alluding to us is the highest decision-making body, which we were excluded.claim

02:56:12I know the MMC is going to say to us, "But Council passed the the funding mix." It does not mean it overrides us from approving loans. It just means that's what we said we were going to look at as a as a as a City. It does not mean it does not come here for our approval as Council. So, Madam Speaker, we'll reserve our rights on what we're going to do in terms of the Democratic Alliance around the R3 billion loan. We'll see what what what we can transpire on that. And all it did is actually inflate our cash reserves. Consistently, our cash reserves has only been a billion rand. For a city at a R87 billion budget, we only have a billion rand on a month-to-month basis. How, if anything goes wrong, do we have a buffer in the City of Johannesburg? Our creditors are funding the City. The payment dates have shifted out to almost the 151 days plus, if we look at the ageing of our creditors. So, in terms of the MFMA, we've broken another another rule. We're supposed to pay within 30 days.claim

02:57:22We expect our residents to pay us within 30 days. And yet we keep on looking at creating another position of a Deputy Mayor. How, when the City does not have money? How are we showing our residents that we take their hard-earned money responsibly, and that we are spending the money responsibly? All of this comes down to cost containment. In order for us to survive, we're going to have to take serious, serious expenditure cost containments in order for us to get through the next 6 months. Unfortunately, although we passed this this the R745 million loan in December, I honestly thought it would come in by December. Clearly, it did not, so I'm assuming it came through in January. How much of that loan funding again was used to pay for salaries, bulk purchases, instead of Capex? The Capex projects on the ground are stalling. It's not stalling because we don't want to get the projects on the ground; it's stalling because we have a cash flow crisis.claim

02:58:28We are using creditors' funds to fund Capex projects and vice versa, paying salaries. Madam Speaker, in all my term as being a councillor, and it's 14 years going on to 15, we are in dire straits. And I would like this Council, politics aside, to understand that we cannot be passing items in Council that have a detrimental effect to the budget of the City of Johannesburg. Also noting that you have a fiduciary responsibility as every single councillor in this room, that if we pass items that are unfunded, you will be personally held liable for the deficit thereof to ensure the City is put back in the position that it was prior to you making those arrangements. Okay? So, please, Councillors, it's not about politics; it's about our residents, and it's about our City. I thank you, Madam Speaker.claim

Items 1-4: EFF on underspending, debtors and financial sustainability

02:59:29Thank you, Councillor Santana. Councillor Zitha from the Economic Freedom Fighters.

02:59:44Thank you very much, Speaker. Greetings to you. Greetings to the EFF leaders, party leaders, Councillor Mgcini Tshwaku, the party leader, Councillor uh Chief Whip of the EFF caucus,

03:00:00Mrs. Thabisa Mogapi, MMC of Health and Social Development, MMC Ennie Makhafola, chairperson of MPAC, Councillor Raseruthe. Speaker, the Section 71 report submitted in terms of MFMA is meant to assure Council that the finances of the City are under control.

03:00:31But when we analyze beyond the accounting language, it reveals some serious structural weaknesses in the financial management of the City of Johannesburg. Firstly, Speaker, the report tells us the operating revenue is 2% above the target, that shows positive. But, Speaker, we cannot celebrate 2% target. That sound sorry.claim

03:00:57That capital expenditure is sitting only at 8% after three months of financial year. We approve a capital budget of 8.7 budget, yet only 713 million has been spent. Human Settlement is sitting at 3%, Economic Development is sitting at 0%, Transport is sitting at 0%, 0%. Funny enough, Speaker, the Transport is sitting at 0%.claim

03:01:28But we have a bridges that are still not finished since 2021. We have got a bridge in Diepsloot Extension 6 and 7, that's Councillor Mabuke, Chairperson Mabuke's ward. That bridge, since it commenced on 2021, there's not been finished. And we have got MMC of Transport, Kenny Kunene, Councillor Kenny Kunene, sorry, going around podcast talking about CIC.claim

03:01:59CIC is not his peers. He must talk about Mgcini Tshwaku, he must talk about Lorrain, Councillor Zitha, because we are his peers. Speaker, Speaker, several departments have not commenced spending. This is unacceptable. Communities are waiting for housing project, they are waiting for road upgrade, they are waiting for infrastructureclaim

03:02:30rehabilitation. When capital spending stalls, service delivery stalls. Underspending is not saving, it's delayed development. Secondly, Speaker, the report reflects that debtors now stand at approximately 66.9 billion. That figure alone should alarm this Council. A city cannot function effectively when nearly 70 billion is owed to it. We see continuous references to penalties,claim

03:02:59disconnections and credit control measures, but where is the sustainable revenue strategy? Where is the turnaround plan to deal with long outstanding debt? When we do not approve collection in a structural and a fair manner, the financial pressure will continue to grow. Thirdly, Speaker, the cash position is concerning. Cash declined by 3.1 billion in a single month. Cash flow from operatingclaim

03:03:27activities is negative. That means the City is not generating sufficient operational cash to comfortably sustain itself. At the same times, entities like City Power have remained overdrawn and are incurring interest costs, including interest related to Eskom obligations. This increases financial strain and diverts money away from the service delivery. Speaker, we know that

03:03:57we know that some department are underspending because invoice delays, contract signing delays and administrative bottlenecks. Those are not external factors, unfortunately. They are internal governance failures. When contracts are delayed, communities suffer. When invoices are delayed, projects stall. When departments do not plan properly, development slows down. Speaker, the people did not vote for spreadsheets. They voted for service delivery.claim

03:04:27The EFF will continue to demand disciplined financial management. Speaker, second item, I'm going to combine them, I'm combining them as it was written. The mid-year performance report submitted in terms of MFMA is meant to assess whether the City is delivering on its commitment. But what it shows is underperformance, underspending and weak accountability.claim

03:04:53But what it shows, we are halfway through financial management, sorry, yet several departments are behind their target. Capital projects are delayed, infrastructure spending is slow, communities are still communities are still waiting for housing, roads and water. Water still goes off in Midrand during night and we are being told, even by Premier, that water is fully restored. Fully restored where? Where? Because in Midrand, where I come from, Greater Ivory, at night

03:05:26we still don't have water. Speaker, today we are presented in a report that claims financial sustainability, yet we are see we see a municipality drifting deeper into financial instability. The City is sitting with 1.7 billion operating deficit, employee cost over-expenditure is of 12%, debt-to-grant increasing by 12%,

03:05:57capital spending at shameful 17%, debtors ballooning to 70.6 billion, and a 3 billion short-term loan is used to create an illusion of liquidity. Speaker, this is a financial this is not a financial sustainability. This is a financial mismanagement covered by accounting language. This report shows we are billing 6.3 billion,

03:06:26but collecting only 80% of it. Water collection is collapsing because there's no water. What are you collecting from? Joburg Water and City Power are bleeding. Municipal entities, as JOSHCO, are not even compliant with Section 71. The City is overspending on salaries while underspending on infrastructure. Speaker, as we speak right now, we have got securities that are not being that are not going getting paid by the City

03:06:58for overtime. But then, yet the report says that the City is overspending on overtime. Overspending on which department? The City residents are without water, electricity infrastructure is collapsing, informal settlements is without basic services, and administration has prioritized internal comfort over service delivery. Let us be clear, Speaker.

03:07:27That funds its operating through short-term loans is a city heading toward collapse. The City does not only criticize sorry, the EFF does not only criticize, but we also provide solutions. We are saying that cut off wasteful expenditure. We are saying that freeze overtime abuse. We are saying that cap bonuses until services is stabilized, internal services instead of expensive

03:07:56outsourcing, fix capital expenditure. Capital budget of 8.7 billion, but only 17% is spent, is a sabotage of development. Fast-track infrastructure in informal settlements and water networks. The people of Johannesburg did not elect us to manage decline, they elected us to transform this city. The EFF rejects cosmetic financial stability. The report is not just numbers, it reflects the lived

03:08:25reality of our residents. And today the reality is that this City is under financial pressure. The EFF will not allow this Johannesburg to collapse under the poor governance, and we are urging the residents of Johannesburg to vote for the EFF so that we can save this city from collapsing. And we are saying, Speaker, that this year, the EFF has declared this year as victory or death, and we are saying as the City of Councillors of City of Johannesburg,

03:08:56that we are choosing victory. Thank you very much.

Items 1-4: ANC on progress and areas of concern

03:09:01Thank you, Councillor Zitha. Councillor Councillor V. Ngema from the ANC. Councillor V. Ngema from the ANC, just hold on. Councillor Matthew Cook, are you having a point of order?

03:09:26Speaker, I'm listed to speak on Item 4, and I think it would be proper for me to speak before the ANC.

03:09:31We will call you. We will call you. Councillor V. Ngema, haibo, who's that? Why do you people do that to other councillors? Councillor V. Ngema, please.

03:09:49Yes, ma'am. Greetings to you, Speaker, and also greetings to fellow councillors in the house, to all our guests in the gallery. Also, I would like to greet the residents in the City of Johannesburg. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity firstly to congratulate our newly elected Deputy Executive Mayor,

03:10:20isiZuluumama wethu uMasuku.

03:10:23Speaker, I arise to on Item 1, 2, 3 and 4. The report reflects both progress and areas of concern. We acknowledge that revenue underperformance, oh, am I audible? Oh,

03:10:52revenue underperformance and slow capital spending at this early stage of the financial year raised legitimate questions about cash flow stability and implementation capacity. As the African National Congress, we do not shy away from these shortcomings. They reflect structural pressures

03:11:21that must be corrected. However, we also note that financial controls remained intact, reporting was compliant with the MFMA and corrective monitoring mechanisms were already in place. The foundation of governance remained stable and that is important as we move towards strengthening performance.

03:11:58While revenue performance showed signs of stabilizing, liquidity pressures continued and capital expenditure remained below optimal levels. We acknowledge that this low spending affects service delivery timelines, and we must improve implementation discipline. At the same time,

03:12:28we highlight that collection systems continued functioning, oversight structures remained active and no financial collapse occurred despite the pressures. The ANC remains committed to improving execution while maintaining compliance and financial acknowledgment.

03:13:05Item we Particularly, Madam Speaker, with the declining collection rates and the introduction of borrowing to stabilizing cash flow, we must openly acknowledge that reliance on borrowing is not a long-term solution

03:13:41and that revenue recovery must be strengthened. However, we also recognize that decisive steps were taken to ensure service continuity and prevent disruption. The fact that the City acted to secure liquidity

03:14:11demonstrates responsible governance under pressure. The task now is to convert this stability into sustainable revenue growth and stronger capital delivery. A modest improvement in revenue performance

03:14:40and gradual acceleration in capital expenditures. While liquidity remains tight and infrastructure rollout needs further strengthening, there are signs of recovery and consolidation. We acknowledge that challenges remain, particularly around collections

03:15:10and spending pace, but we must also recognize that systems holding and corrective measures are being implemented. As the African National Congress, we accept responsibility for improving performance while affirming that governance stability,

03:15:40compliance and developmental intent remain firmly in place. As the African National Congress, Speaker, we note the report. I thank you.

Item 4: GOOD on December 2025 in-year report

03:15:51Thank you so much, Councillor Ngema. Councillor Matthew Cook from GOOD, you're only speaking on one item, Item 4.

03:16:03Thank you, Madam Speaker. Speaker, today we are considering the City's MFMA Section 71 in-year financial report for the period ending 31 December 2025. This is not a political document, this is a statutory instrument designed to give Council and the public a transparent view of our financial performance, and the picture it presents, unfortunately, is mixed. On the surface, the City reflects a year-to-date surplus, which is highly commendable.claim

03:16:34However, a deeper reading of the report reveals structural pressures that demand careful oversight. The City's total debtor book now stands at approximately R71.9 billion, with an overwhelming majority that is older than 90 days. That level of arrears is not merely an accounting issue. It directly affects liquidity, it affects cash flow and our ability to fund operations sustainably. Debt impairment continues to rise, and collection rates in key revenue streamsclaim

03:17:05are below target. We cannot build financial stability on projected income that is not being realized. On the expenditure side, sorry, Speaker. On the expenditure side, employee-related costs have increased

03:17:26Drink some water.

03:17:30Sorry, Speaker, as you know I'm leaving at 2:30 to go to the doctor. On the expenditure side, employee-related costs have increased significantly, driven in part by the overtime. Bulk electricity purchases are above projections and finance charges are rising. There are also concerning variances within certain municipal entities, including revenue underperformance and abnormal expenditure trends. These entities form part of our consolidated financial position, and they must be subjected to disciplined oversight.

03:18:00Speaker, the purpose of an in-year report is an early warning. It allows Council to identify emerging risks before they become fiscal crises. The key risks emerging at this stage are clear: liquidity pressure driven by a growing arrears book, rising operating costs, increased reliance on penalties and enforcement-based revenue, variances within municipal-owned entities, and slower than ideal capital spending performance. Speaker, the City of Johannesburg

03:18:30is not in collapse, as some other parties and councillors might think. The City, however, is financially stretched, and stretched institutions require discipline, not complacency. This report must not be must not simply be noted. It must inform corrective action. Financial governance is not about reacting to crises, it's about preventing them in the future. I thank you.

Items 1-4: Councillor on billing, entity reform and accountability

03:18:57Thank you, Councillor Cook. MMC Masuku, Deputy Mayor-Elect.

03:19:09Thank you very much, Speaker. Good afternoon to the Executive Mayor and fellow councillors, Chief Whip of Council,

03:19:17MMC, can you just take your seat? Councillor Nkonyeni, have you been to the bush to find your You can speak, Councillor. Sorry, MMC.

03:19:33Thank you, Speaker.

03:19:35isiZuluYizinto zabantu.

03:19:37Greetings to you, Speaker, greetings to the house, all protocols observed. Madam Speaker, the City of Johannesburg is not collecting enough revenue. But let us stop pretending that this is the only this is only a resident problem. It is a governance problem, it is a leadership problem, it is a political will problem. You cannot speak about poor payment culture when the City itself is fueling the culture through incorrect billing, unlawful disconnections

03:20:07and queried accounts, reckless interest charges and automated pre-termination notices. Residents are not refusing to pay, they are refusing to pay for incompetence. When a resident disputes a bill and is met with silence, threats or disconnections, you are not building compliance, you are building resentment, and resentment turns into resistance. Madam Speaker, employee-related costs are the third largest expenditure in this City,

03:20:38and yet residents experience non-existent customer service, endless billing queries, delayed refunds, officials who respond when they feel like it, and departments that hide behind leave forms and unread emails. Councillors themselves struggle to identify who is accountable for what. We are funding a bureaucracy that even this Council cannot fully track. The question must be asked bluntly: What exactly are people being paid for? Trading reforms

03:21:08are meant to ring-fence the finances of Joburg Water and City Power, yet their accounts are still being swept. Who authorized this? Who benefits from weakening entities that are already under pressure? Madam Speaker, the Johannesburg Development Agency must justify its existence or face dissolution. Metrobus is financially delinquent and must, at a minimum, break even. The Johannesburg Roads Agency requires an urgent turnaround strategy,

03:21:38or it must be collapsed into the Transport Department. The Metro Trading Company must be protected from so-called inter-departmental transfers, which increasingly resemble internal looting. City Power must stop billing on estimates. We have the e-Joburg system that allows residents to upload meter readings, yet we continue to rely on thumb-sucked figures that fuel legal battles and public anger. Madam Speaker, under mSCOA reporting,

03:22:10JOSHCO continues to defy compliance by refusing to submit OPEX and CAPEX figures. What consequence management has been implemented? The Human Settlements Department has failed to collect rental income from hostels, while the housing backlog grows and questionable allocations continue. Joburg Water had spent only 37% of its budget by December, in the middle of a water crisis. Underspending during a crisis is negligence.

03:22:41Pikitup, JPC, Metrobus reflect similar patterns. Where there is underspending, there is poor performance. The City does not have a revenue crisis, it has a credibility crisis. It does not have a budgeting crisis, it has an accountability crisis. Joburg Johannesburg needs Operation Fix Johannesburg urgently, and all efforts to frustrate Xolani Khumalo will not be successful.

03:23:12Madam Speaker, we stand in solidarity and unity in the fight against the evil forces and the blue propaganda machine that is working overtime and trying to derail us. The residents of Johannesburg deserve a city that works, not a city that excuses itself. Thank you.

Items 1-4: MMC Finance replies to the debate

03:23:33MMC Masuku, Deputy Mayor-Elect.

03:23:38Thank you very much, Speaker. Executive Mayor, Chief Whip of Council, Chair of Chairs, fellow councillors and fellow MMCs. Councillor Mkhonza, thank you for your kind words. I myself was raised by a single mother, so I am a product of a woman who raised this young woman you see in front of you. So thank you for that message of solidarity.claim

03:24:09I take it, it comes from a good place. The monthly reports are sent to National Treasury within 10 days through the National Treasury data strings, and the reporting of Section 71 to Council is transparency that, as the Government of Local Unity, we do, and we do it as soon as the reports are available, and we are compliant with that.claim

03:24:39Councillor Boer, as well as some of the points from Councillor Santana, the reduction of the debtors book and the aggressive collection is top of our priority as the Government of Local Unity, which of course requires decisive action and leadership. Councillor Boer, the winter tariffs, I think you are aware that for Eskom's they are for Eskom they are higher compared to what the City Power ones be,claim

03:25:11and these tariffs are approved by NERSA. We are also very concerned about it. Actually, we the City Power is busy with a process where they are trying to deal with this matter, and one thing we've made clear is that even other municipalities have raised concerns, and they're currently working with NERSA and the Department of Electricity on this,claim

03:25:42and SALGA, to deal with this matter. The 3 billion from Standard Bank, it's a working facility that, and the contract did come to Council on the Council meeting of May 2025. The MMC at the time, the report was signed and it came to Council on the 28th and 29th Council meeting, it wasclaim

03:26:12MMC Arnolds at the time, and if you check, it is clear, it says that the Council the recommendation that the Council approves utilization of the new Standard Bank short-term facility as part of the new transactional banking contract. So we did do that compliance as the Government of Local Unity, because we cannot do something that is illegal, because we are guided by the MFMA, we are guided by the Systems Act. The

03:26:43Metro Trading reforms are actually meant to deal with the key entities, and we're focusing on the turnaround strategy, and we've spoken about this at length even in the Section 79 committee. This includes reduction of bulk purchases to Eskom and Rand Water, which includes non-revenue water and electrical losses. We are indeed, and I think I agree with Councillor Zitha and Councillor Nkonyeni on the point of being aggressive with getting capital funders to invest in these entities

03:27:16so that we are able to then deal with the issues, and we are able to do precisely what Councillor Zitha raised, to make sure that we are able to provide services to our residents. I'm sure Councillor Kunene heard the message, I will not comment on that. But one thing, Councillor Zitha, I must indicate through you, Speaker, is that cash flow in the first six months will always be under pressure, and I think because it covers the first four months of winter,

03:27:50as indicated earlier with the comments also from Councillor from Councillor Boer. On the issue of employee costs that you raised, Councillor Zitha, we are dealing with that. The City Manager has delegated the COO to run the strategic panel, where we only where recruitment of positions is done through that. But over and above that, the City Manager is also working on has indicated that there will be a moratorium on positions that are not service delivery-driven

03:28:22and are not going to assist us on issues of revenue. So we are dealing with the issue of employee costs, and we also take it as a concern as the Government of Local Unity. And I think it's important to mention that on your point about collection, we are taking decisive action and ensuring that the RSSC department, we strengthen leadership and ensure that collection is done and we improve in terms of our collection,

03:28:52and putting as well as mechanisms with the new process of National Treasury, where we utilize their transversal contract for us to be able to do our collections. And I think in the next few months we will see improvement both from the revenue department, because we've got leadership that is going to assist us, as well as our efforts in ensuring that we get the work of National Treasury to assist us. But I think the comments are taken in good spirit, Speaker,

03:29:26from all the councillors, and we appreciate the fact that both even Councillor Nkonyeni and Councillor Santana, as well as Councillor Zitha, the input is to say we criticize, but we are also giving you suggestions in terms of how you can improve and do better, because all of us want the City of Johannesburg to work, all of us we want to collect revenue, all of us we want to encourage our residents to pay for their services in our respective communities, all of us want services for our communities, because all of us we want this Johannesburg

03:30:00us back to work for all our residents. With that being said, we ask council to note the section 71 reports. Thank you, Speaker.

Items 1-4 noted and lunch adjournment

03:30:24Thank you so much, MMC, and thank you to all the councillors that participated. Councillors, um, the the item one is for noting.

03:30:40Item two is for noting. Item three is for noting. Item four is for noting. Is it noted?

03:30:47Noted.

03:30:48Thank you. Colleagues, we are going to break for lunch. But we are going to have before I I, you see, when you walk out before we we give you the marching orders, then you come back late. We are going to break for 45 minutes.

03:31:08And it's possible and we are going to come back in 45 minutes, which is which is 3:15. We still have a lot to do and we also have some of you that have asked to go home early. So, can we go for 45 minutes? Thank you.

04:25:05that's all we are waiting for.

Item 18 (adjustment budget): objections to late urgency items

04:25:58Colleagues we are starting. Thank you STC can you read into, into record? Councillor Mutavhatsindi, we are going to fine you.

04:26:18Later on everybody will complain, we are no longer online, but we do not understand also what type of view we are giving the, the, the residents when we are performing the way we are. Thank you.

04:26:39STC.

04:26:41Uh councillors, we are on still the elevated items uh starting off with item 18, and that's the operating adjustment budget for the 2025/26 financial year.

04:26:56Yes, Councillor. Councillor Boer.

04:27:02Madam Speaker, item 18 was put on a Google Drive last night at 8:00. This is probably the most single important item that has to be approved by council, and it's got enormous consequences. If we are missed this one, we are running into irregular expenditure, uh, AG, AG, uh, audit qualifications. It is, I would say it is criminalclaim

04:27:30to bring this item a couple of hours before a council meeting to and to bring it to council. Madam Speaker, I I request that we withdraw this item. Thank you.claim

04:28:34Colleagues,

04:28:37uhm the items if you listened to me this morning in my opening remarks

04:28:49Afrikaansen ek vat ons nou terug na wat gebeur het en wat ek gesê het vanoggend toe ek met my opening.

04:28:59I said the following: Councillors, please note that I have received requests from the executive and the legislature to include two additional items in the agenda,

04:29:20Afrikaansen ek glo,

04:29:21and I believe the operative word here is as urgency reports, and I have acceded to the request.

04:29:38AfrikaansUh uh, asseblief.

04:29:41Councillor Avant-Smith, can you please talk to your councillors? And colleagues, if these reports came late, you always have a chance to go out and to go and caucus on it and to read, and that's what you all

04:30:00wisdom

04:30:05No, no, no. Why don't you have time?

04:30:08No, colleagues, we can't. We can't.

04:30:14AfrikaansEk sien jou hand, Councillor De Lange.

04:30:17I'm going to give the Chair of Chairs. His hand was up first. I'm going to give him a chance and then I'm going to give Councillor De Lange. I'm going to close my ears to people that are screaming, especially the DA councillor at the back.

04:30:42Especially that councillor at the back, and all others that are screaming. You lift your hand. Chair of Chairs.

04:30:54No, thank you very much, honourable Speaker. I wanted to remind perhaps the colleagues that when you were speaking about that item that you have received it, the whip on the DA, Councillor Avant-Smith, indicated that when they reach at that point, they will ask for a caucus break. And nobody disputed at that particular moment. It can't be now a brainwave that when we are now here,

04:31:20we've got all these hullabaloos that are happening. I suggest we proceed orderly. Thank you.

04:31:27Thank you so much, Chair of Chairs. Exactly. And the DA came and gave us names on the people that are going to speak. Councillor, Raadslid De Lange.

04:31:40Madam Speaker,

04:31:42Afrikaanskom ons wees nou bietjie regverdig.

04:31:44Let's be fair. I've been around for a while, fortunately or unfortunately. Never in my life has an adjustment budget been loaded overnight. I'm not DA, I'm Freedom Front. So what the colleague from the DA is doing, submitting speakers, that is fine. But we've got a full member here of the finance committee with us.

04:32:07It gets loaded overnight. Our caucuses have already sat. We have submitted our speakers. I know you had a request, but if I look at the approved agenda, 22 and 23 is urgency items. Madam Speaker, you were here on Friday. We couldn't have our,

04:32:32our whip meeting. You were here. For the first time ever, the link also went out before the whips could consider the items coming from programming. That's fair, that's fine, but now, each adjustment budget items, the whippery didn't see it. We didn't caucus on it. And it came in like a izinyoka, like a snake, during the night.

04:33:01Madam Speaker, really. This is not fair. This is an adjustment budget. This is not a capital loan or a quarterly report that we are used to. It comes once a year. So for us to give this due diligence and to go through this item properly to consider it, I cannot see how this item can be allowed now. This is not fair towards all councillors. We were not privy to the information,

04:33:28and it's a pity that the terms of reference, Councillor Boer informed me, this kind of item must go for scrutiny at Section 79. So there's too many izinyokas coming through on this item. Madam Speaker, we must do things properly, because if we set a precedent now, what are we going to do at the other items? There is a rule of 72 hours. This is a budget. This is not a soswa flip-flop item just floating through. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

04:34:08Um, unfortunately, I cannot say to the Chair of Chairs, Chair of Chairs withdraw our item, because it's not ours. Um, it doesn't belong to the legislature, it's not in my hands, and I will ask that the executive leads us on this. And, um, on a very light note, Councillor De Lange,

04:34:28Afrikaansek het gedink slange het nie oë nie, ek het gedink hulle beweeg gedurende die dag en nie in die nag nie.

04:34:36Can I give the executive before anybody comes in? Can I give the executive a chance to deal with it? I cannot withdraw or bring items.

04:34:47Thank you, Speaker. I think when the meeting started, there was an intention or interest for caucuses to ask for a caucus break. It's allowed, if you permit it. The council meeting must proceed. We are not withdrawing any report.

04:35:05The executive has said they are not withdrawing their reports. They brought the report and they are going to have the report. Um, so I don't have that to say they must report. Councillor Boer,

04:35:20Afrikaanshulle report bly, nê? Hulle sê hulle trek hom nie terug nie.

04:35:25Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the decision. Um, I've only received this report on the Google Drive on my cell phone and my eyes are not very well. The Freedom Front is asking for a three-hour caucus break, and the document to be printed out and distributed to us. Thank you.

04:35:43Councillor, Councillor Christians.

04:35:54Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, I would advise you to speak to your legal advisors. There is a legal precedent where if due time is not given for us to peruse documents, we can take it up legally. So, in order not to do that, I'm asking you, there is a court case, if I'm not mistaken, it was raised by legal themselves at a previous meeting. So I'm urging the executive to please reconsider

04:36:24to give us sufficient time and call a special meeting, because this is about the biggest budget in the country that's been adjusted, and we need the time to do our due diligence, and without that, you are going to be up for legal litigation. Thank you.

Legal consultation, break and withdrawal of Items 18-21

04:37:08I'm going to consult with legal here and with group legal. I'm going to consult with all legal teams, and I'm asking for 10 minutes. But I would also want to say that

04:37:25Afrikaansons het vanoggend hieroor gepraat, en

04:37:27we'll deal with it. Okay. We will have a small break for 10 minutes, and then we will have a discussion, I'll have a discussion with all the legal teams.

04:37:46I see, Councillor Christians, you are much better now.

04:38:18Colleagues. Councillor Boer in particular. Councillor Boer in particular. We wanted to have the training this morning, so that we are paperless. So we are not going to be printing this document for all councillors, unfortunately. The system, if you go onto the system, there is a place where you can see all the items

04:38:48and go through it all.

04:57:25Can you ask those people behind you

04:57:48MMC, MMC Sekwaila, Chair of Chairs.

04:58:02I can't hear you. Put on your mic for me.

04:58:14MMC Sekwaila.

04:58:16Madam Speaker.

04:58:17And others, MMC Mabaso. Yes, uh, Councillor Belinda.

04:58:28Madam Speaker, you always call out the DA caucus if there's any movement. Can you please acknowledge the discipline of the DA caucus? We are on time,

04:58:38AfrikaansBaie mooi, DA caucus. Julle almal sit.

04:58:39everybody is sitting down. We are all in order.

04:58:42Even your caucus leader is in early. She didn't go out. Very well. Thank you so much. Colleagues, we listened, I consulted, and I have a legal opinion. We are going to

04:59:09We are going to withdraw the items for now. No, don't clap hands. We are going to call a special council sitting. So you will have time to go through the documents, and we will then have a special council sitting. You will be informed of the special council sitting. We will now go through all the other items.

04:59:39Councillor Nkonyeni, this was what the Freedom Front Plus, together with the DA, had asked. And that is what I'm reporting back to. Are you now calling points of order because I'm calling a special council? I have ruled, and no one is going to speak on it. Thank you so much.

05:00:00much.

05:00:06Report, the STC will read into record what we have withdrawn.

05:00:14Okay. Thank you, councillors.

05:00:18Councillors, as agreed, the items that will be then deferred would be Item 18, Item 19, Item 20, and Item 21.

05:00:34Thank you, colleagues. So those are withdrawn. We listened to your plea.

Item 5: SCM Acquisition Status Report (Oct-Dec 2025)

05:00:40We will now go back to to where we stopped this morning.

05:00:50Councillors, we are back on Item 5, and that is the Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Acquisition Status Report, reflecting bids considered and approved by the Accounting Officer for the period 1st October 2025 to 31st December 2025.

05:01:11Thank you, councillors. Item 5, the speakers are Councillor T. Shai from the DA. Is Councillor Shai here?

05:01:22ActionSA.

05:01:23It's not the DA, Speaker.

05:01:24Schay, sorry, sorry, Councillor Schay.

05:01:30Oh, it's ActionSA.

05:01:32It's Councillor Shai, Speaker.

05:01:34Shai.

05:01:34Shai, from ActionSA.

05:01:35ActionSA. Are you here?

05:01:38Yes.

05:01:39Apologies, apologies for your surname.

05:01:52Firstly, let me start by greetings. Firstly, I would like to greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Amen.

05:02:04I acknowledge you, Madam Speaker, and also the fellow councillors, members of the media, the guests in the galleries, 44+44, and most importantly, the residents of Johannesburg. As ActionSA, we believe in quality education.claim

05:02:23Now we'll be focusing on the Item number 5, which address Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Acquisition Status Report reflecting the bids considered and approved for a period of 1st October to 31st 31 December 2025. This report shows that the tenders were awarded to three training companies. First company, their focus was procurement of a performance management training valued over R1,380,000. The second company being the procurement of project management training valued at R921,000. The third company mandated was a procurement of career development training valued at R926,000.claim

05:03:24Under project management, we see that there are 61 companies applied. This shows that high This shows high competition, which leads us to believe that the City received a fair market price. Given this Given these are the training organisation, how will the City assess the performance of the trainees after one-year period?

05:03:49As ActionSA, we prioritise community, economic prosperity, and professionalised civil service. We advocate for a high-skilled workforce where every cent spent on training results in tangible returns in service delivery. We have consistently demanded that the value for money is not just about a lowest bid,

05:04:17but about the quality of the outcome. As ActionSA, we request that the City Manager establish a mechanism for evaluating the returns on investment on these specific training modules to verify that is this isn't just a merely box-ticking exercise, but rather a valuable by adopting a post-training assessment. In conclusion to this, ActionSA will remain committed to professionalising the administration and ensuring that the public money buys progress, not just a certificate. I note the report.

05:05:00Thank you, Councillor. Councillor R. Harris from ACDP.

05:05:06Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to speak to Item 5, the Group Strategic Supply Chain Acquisition Status Report, reflecting bids considered and approved by Accounting Officer for the period 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025.claim

05:05:27There are no issues in this report. I was presently surprised by it, so having said that, the ACDP notes the report. Thank you.

05:05:38Thank you, Councillor Harris. Councillor N. Pietersen, DA.

05:05:44Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, as mentioned, this report is the procurement activities for Group Finance for October to December, second quarter. It does confirm compliance with the MFMA and the City's SCM policy. The information provided is extremely limited, though, as it has been pointed out before. With only three training tenders awarded and very little narrative detail, Council is left without the depth required to exercise meaningful oversight.claim

05:06:12The Democratic Alliance's good governance policy is clear: transparency is not a box-ticking exercise. It requires full, accessible, and decision-useful information that allows councillors and residents to understand not only what was procured, but why, how, and with what impact. Applying those principles, this report could be significantly strengthened in several ways: clearer linkage between procurement and outcomes. We are told that all three tenders relate to training,

05:06:42but not whether these interventions address identified skills gaps, performance failures, or strategic priorities. Good governance requires reporting on the impact of expenditure, not just the transaction. Disclosure of bid competitiveness and risk: while the report notes that competitive processes were followed, it does not provide detail on the number of bids received per tender, the scoring spread, or any deviations, risks, or concerns raised by the BEC or CAC.

05:07:13This information is essential for detecting patterns of concentration, repeat suppliers, or potential red flags. Supplier performance and contract management: the DA's governance framework emphasizes that procurement is only the first step. Council should be told whether previous contracts with these service providers were delivered on time, within budget, and to specification. Without this, oversight is incomplete. Budget alignment and long-term value:

05:07:44the report confirms that budget was available, but it does not explain how these training contracts fit into the broader organizational development strategy or whether they represent value for money in a constrained fiscal environment. Speaker, compliance alone is not good governance. A report that merely satisfies the minimum legal requirement does not equip Council to fulfill its constitutional duty of oversight. We therefore urge the department to enhance future submissions

05:08:14with richer narrative detail, performance insights, and clearer alignment to strategic outcomes, in line with the DA's commitment to transparent, accountable, and impact-driven governance. I thank you.

05:08:29Thank you, Councillor Pietersen. Councillor Nethamba from the EFF.

05:08:39Thank you, Speaker. Greetings to the Caucus Leader of the EFF, Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku; Chief Whip of the EFF, Taiso Mogapi; the 29 Battalion of the EFF; and all councillors and guests in the gallery. I greet you all in the name of expropriation of land without compensation. Speaker, I rise to speak on Item 5. Cardinal Pillar Number 3 of the EFF:emotive

05:09:08Building a state and government capacity which will lead to the abolishment of tenders. This tender thing, it's a scam. It's a way that politicians and officials eat the money of the municipality. As the EFF, we say away with tenders. Let's put this effort we put on appointing your friends and relatives to insource people who are working hard in the municipality under contract, and make them permanent so they canemotive

05:09:38be able to have pension and medical aid, and also be able to build themselves houses since the governing party is not building them housing. As the EFF, I thank you.emotive

05:09:52Thank you, Councillor Nethamba. Councillor Modupi from the ANC.

05:10:03Thank you, Madam Speaker.

05:10:10Madam Speaker, Executive Mayor, Chief Whip of Council, Members of Mayoral Committee, fellow councillors, and before I forget, I should also congratulate my ANC Regional Chairperson who got elected as the Deputy Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg. She is the firstclaim

05:10:39Deputy Executive Mayor in the City of Johannesburg. Madam Speaker, I will be speaking on Item 5 on the Acquisition Status Report. We note that the report reflects three formal bid awards for the quarter with a combined value of approximately R3.22 million, all processed through the Central Adjudication Committee within the prescribed threshold of R750,000

05:11:11to R5 million. The awards relate mainly to training services, namely performance management, project management, and career development training, and it is positive that 100% of these awards were made to Level 1 B-BBEE contributors, reinforcing our commitment as the African National Congress to the economic transformation.

05:11:44The processes were undertaken in line with the MFMA and Supply Chain Management Regulations, which speaks to procedural compliance and governance stability. However, Madam Speaker, we must acknowledge that the value and the number of awards disclosed appear limited when compared to overall procurement activity in the City of Johannesburg. And the Council And Council is justified in seeking clarity on the broader pipeline of tenders

05:12:15above threshold. It is also important, Madam Speaker, to interrogate pricing competitiveness and measurable outcomes, particularly in relation to the training expenditure. As the African National Congress, we support compliance and transformation, but we equally insist on transparency, value for money, and demonstrable impact. As the African National Congress, Madam Speaker, we note this report. Thank you.

05:12:47Thank you, Councillor Modupi. MMC Masuku, Deputy Mayor-Elect.

05:12:59Thank you, Madam Speaker, Executive Mayor, Chief Whip of Council, fellow MMCs, and all councillors. I think starting from where Councillor Modupi linked with what Councillor Pietersen raised on issues of compliance, transparency, I think all of us are clear that we have to adhere to all those principles, and I think Councillor Shai, you emphasized the issue of

05:13:29fair market price and value for money, and ensuring that we get service providers who actually can do the job. Professionalization of the public sector is important. That's why as the Government of Local Unity, in particular the ANC, we speak about building a capable state and ensuring that we have administrators who are fit for purpose and can actually do their job, including service providers, and

05:13:59in this instance, the administrators in the City have proven that they are fit for purpose. That is why Councillor Harris would have said, Madam Speaker, there are no issues on this report. That is why Councillor Harris would say they support the report because it's a good and it's a clean report. It reflects good governance. It reflects compliance, and even Councillor Pietersen alluded, but he was just short of saying, "Well done for making sure that you've done the job well," and there's no

05:14:29harm in saying, "Well done," to Group Finance. Take on from what Councillor Harris said, take on from what Councillor Modupi said, and we must give credit where it's due when our officials at the SCM Department are actually doing due diligence and are following processes and procedures in line with the Municipal Finance Management Act, and we must actually give them a round of applause. I thank you, and we ask Council to note the report.

05:15:06No, no, no. The MMC has spoken, and it is done. I am now going to go to recommendations. Recommendations are on page 5.3. Is the item agreed to? Councillor Mkhonza, no, no, no, I'm not giving you a chance. No, Councillor Mkhonza, can you listen to me? The item is closed. The MMC has closed the item.

05:15:36We are We went now to recommendations. There is nothing If you had a point of order or anything, you should have lifted your hand when the MMC was speaking. It's done.

05:15:56Pardon? Pardon? No, no, no, I'm not eating.

05:16:03AfrikaansEk eet nie baie nie.

05:16:04Thank you. I'm going past. We're going to STC, next item.

Item 6: SCM Operational Status Report (Oct-Dec 2025)

05:16:10We are proceeding with Item 6, and that is Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Operational Status Report for the period 1st October 2025 to 31st December 2025.

05:16:24ActionSA, Councillor T. Shai.

05:16:36Greetings once again, Madam Speaker. I believe all protocol observed. As ActionSA, we stand on the rule of law, professionalised administration, and ending of corruption to ensure every cent of the public serves the people, not the politically connected. Item Item 6: Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Operational Status Report,

05:17:05period 1st October 2025 to 31 December 2025. Madam Speaker, we have just noted that the City spending amount was high in this quarter, yet the overall volume of goods was lower than the previous three months of this first quarter. This discrepancy demands an explanation. On Annexure A, we seeclaim

05:17:35the spending breakdown. The City spent 1 billion on direct purchases during this last quarter of 2025. In contrast, the City spent only 1.7 million on stock items. Thirdly, the City is currently holding approximately 114 million worth of stock across the four main stores,claim

05:18:04which is Smit Street, Main Reef, Zondi, and Randburg. Lastly, the most alarming, there is 26 million stock that is marked for deletion, which is currently being investigated by the forensic system. 26 million in potential waste due to a poor management. This is This money that should be spent on service delivery,claim

05:18:35not rotting in the stores or warehouses. Why are the direct purchases so high at 1 billion, while the stock purchases are only 1.7 million? It appears that the City is bypassing its own store system. By favoring the direct purchase over bulk stock, are we not losing out significant bulk buying discounts? Our four stores hold

05:19:05114 million stock. Do we lack the storage capacity, or is there the lack of will to use it? The fact that direct purchases have exceeded our stock value suggests a broken procurement strategy. Under Annexure A, we see 16 orders exceeded 10 million each, totaling of 489

05:19:35million. This represents a lion's share of our expenditure. We need an oversight to ensure that we receive true value of the massive spend. Approaching to Annexure B, under the net stock value, we see that Smit Street is the heart of the operation, holding over 90% of the City's stock, a total stock. As a central pillar of our logistics, we expect to see high-velocity

05:20:05service delivery coming from this hub. Lastly, under the Annexure E, we see that under the Bid Proposal Status Report, there are 33 contracts. There are 33 contracts due to expire between January and December 2026. This is our warning list. We must start by We must start with the procurement process for a new supply.

05:20:35Now we do not run out of essential services or finding ourselves being in a position whereby we are in a deviation process, which is often breeding ground of our emergency spending abuse. Our position as ActionSA is rooted in economic prosperity, which emphasizes on the competitive and transparent procurement. We advocate to ensure that the City achieves its best when it comes to price.

05:21:11Madam Speaker, I will also note the report.

05:21:15Thank you, Councillor.

05:21:20Councillor Harris, ACDP.

05:21:30Madam Speaker, I rise to speak to Item 6, the Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Operational Status Report for the period 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025. I'm not going to be dwelling on the issue of obsolete stock that is held in the stores. I trust that the Section 79 Committee responsible for overseeing the SCM processes will investigate this and find out why that is happening.claim

05:22:00But I want to dwell just on one item, which is a contract that ended on the 11th of January 2026. It is for the appointment of a panel of service providers for the specialized debt collection attorneys and registered debt collectors to assist with revenue collection as and when required for a period of 36 months. While I acknowledge it may not be within the SCM terms of reference to evaluate the effectiveness of this panel,claim

05:22:31it is interesting to note that the debt owed to the City by residents, businesses, and institutional departments has ballooned to over R71 billion as at the end of December. The question that must be asked then is: what was the return on investment into this panel? The ACDP notes this report. Thank you.claim

05:22:55Thank you so much, Councillor Harris. Councillor N. Pietersen from the DA.

05:23:03Thank you, Speaker. This is my favorite pet item, this, so I'm not going to brush through it too quickly, but I'll edit it where I can. And the Democratic Alliance will note the report with strong reservations because while the report is detailed

05:23:20Councillor Pietersen, can you just take your seat for one or two seconds?

05:23:25AfrikaansRaadslid Boer.

05:23:29AfrikaansMevrou die Speaker, ek weet jy is kwaad vir my en jy wil nie met my praat nie, maar ek is voor Councillor Pietersen op die sprekerslys, asseblief, maar ek sal maar my drie minute vir hom gee. Dankie.

05:23:41AfrikaansJy hoef nie jou drie minute vir hom te gee, ek gaan jou roep na hom. Jy hoef dit nie weg te gee nie.

05:23:47Councillor Pietersen,

05:23:48Afrikaansjammer, jammer.

05:23:50Councillor Boer's input is always welcome, so.

05:23:53No, no, no, you don't get it.

05:23:55Now I've got 11 minutes, thank you. The Democratic Alliance will note this report with strong reservations, because while the report is detailed in parts, it does not demonstrate meaningful progress in the areas where the City continues to bleed money, lose stock, and drift without strategic direction, which has been raised in this Council on numerous occasions. My fellow councillors have already raised the numbers, so I won't go through them again.

05:24:24But I can say that there were dramatic shifts in the procurement, which means that it's not following a trend. And the problem is that the report doesn't offer any explanation as to why this is so. So, is it because of improved efficiency? We don't know. Is it delayed procurement? We don't know. Is it underspending? Again. Is it operational slowdown? We simply do not know, and that is precisely the problem. This is a billion rand, Speaker,

05:24:55and it should come with analysis, and not just silence. Back to Smit Street stores: this remains a chronic governance failure. Quarter 2 confirms that total stock value is just under R114 million. Stock marked for deletion and referred to forensics has been repeated on this report again; it's not going anywhere, it's R26 million. This is now the third time this has come up in Council,

05:25:25and it's still there. Stock issued dropped from 183,000 items in Quarter 1 to 90,000 items in Quarter 2. Again, why the sudden drop-off? Stock received dropped from 144,000 items to 41,000 items. Speaker, this is not stability; this is volatility, and it mirrors the long-standing concerns raised in previous quarters, including the infamous 76,132

05:25:55ink cartridges issued with no allocation trail. The GLU government continues to preside over a procurement environment where high-risk consumables move without adequate transparency, and where stock discrepancies are treated as routine rather than alarming. The report notes four bids were advertised and closed with 121 submissions, 33 contracts expiring in 2026, R3.2 million in contracts awarded by the Central Adjudication Committee.

05:26:26But again, there's no analysis of supplier performance, no assessment of value for money, and no reflection on whether the procurement deviations are decreasing. The GLU government is content to report activity, but not outcomes. Speaker, the report proudly states that the procurement process adhered to the MFMA, SCM Regulations, and the City's SCM policy. But compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. A city can comply with legislation and still waste millions.

05:26:56Tembisa Hospital is an example. A city can comply and still fail its residents. A city can comply and still be deeply inefficient. This report is a perfect example of compliance without consequence. Speaker, the Democratic Alliance has consistently argued that Johannesburg's procurement system needs structural reform. It needs transparency: full disclosure of procurement data, not just high-value transactions; detailed stock movement logs for high-risk items;

05:27:26real-time digital dashboards accessible to councillors and residents. It needs efficiency: zero-based procurement planning aligned to service delivery priorities; ending automatic contract renewals; redirecting spending from consumables to infrastructure. It needs accountability: this means mandatory quarterly reporting from the Group Audit Committee, enforceable consequence management for repeat discrepancies, digital stock systems with tamper-proof

05:27:56audit trails. This is things that this Council never sees. These are not theoretical ideas; they are DA best practices implemented in municipalities that work. And Speaker, will Johannesburg survive the GLU? It will, but it cannot thrive under it. Johannesburg is not failing because it is ungovernable; it is failing because the GLU, led by the ANC, has normalized dysfunction.

05:28:26The GLU has normalized procurement opacity, stock volatility, weak oversight, endless investigations with no outcomes. But Johannesburg will not sink. Under the DA-led administration, under the leadership of the incoming Mayor, Helen Zille, this City will stabilize, reform, and rise, because the DA does not fear transparency. We do not fear accountability. We do not fear performance measurement. We embrace them

05:28:56because they are the foundation of a capable state. In conclusion, Speaker, the DA will note this report with reservations. We note the data, we note the compliance, but we also note the gaps, the unanswered questions, and the persistent systemic failures. Johannesburg deserves a procurement system that works. Johannesburg deserves leadership that puts residents first. Johannesburg deserves a government that treats public money as a public trust, and that is what the DA will deliver.

05:29:28Thank you, Councillor Pietersen.

05:29:30AfrikaansRaadslid Boer.

05:29:35AfrikaansAg, dankie, Mevrou die Speaker, vir die geleentheid wat u my bied. Ek het al so baie baklei vandag, ek gaan maar my hierdie beurt skip. Dankie.

05:29:46AfrikaansDis nie ek wat baklei het nie, nê?

05:29:50Councillor Nethamba from the EFF.

Item 6: Supply chain status report – stock marked for deletion (EFF)

05:30:02Thank you, Speaker.

05:30:04Eh, greetings, Councillors.

05:30:07I rise today not to score political points, but as a deeply concerned representative of the dejected masses of the City of Johannesburg. We have before us a report that at first looks

05:30:24may seem technical, just numbers on a page, but behind those numbers lies a story about accountability,

05:30:33governance, and importantly, the trust of our people. The report states that the city total stock value as at 31st December 2025 stood at over 113 million rand worth of public asset, public money, ratepayers' money.

05:30:53But then we learn we learn included in that amount are items marked for deletion to the value of more than 26 million rand.

05:31:05These are item have been referred to the Group Forensic Investigation Service unit for further investigation and possible write-off. Colleagues, that is not a small administration adjustment. That is not rounding off figures. That is

05:31:2226 million rand that cannot simply be accounted for in the ordinary course of a business. As a result, the value of a stock has been provisional written down to 87,763,124.24. We must pause here. How does over 26 million worth of a stock reach a point where it must be referred to forensic investigation?

05:31:53How long has this been happening? What internal control failed? Who signed off on this stock records? And and most importantly, will anyone be held accountable? We are the city battling with service delivery backlog. Community in Alexandra, Soweto, Orange Farm, and Bram Fischer, and many other areas are demanding a basic service: functional streetlight, repaired water leaks, reliable waste removal,

05:32:23safe roads. 26 million rands could repair infrastructure. It could improve clinics to open 24/7. It could strengthen electricity maintenance. It could restore dignity to community who feel forgotten. Instead, we are told it might be written off. Madam Speaker, write-off should be the

05:32:48should not be the way that we move on as the city, not a routine, not a feature of the municipality report.

05:32:55The referral to GFIS is welcome. Forensic investigation is necessary. However, the investigation alone is not enough. Residents are tired of reports. They are tired of

05:33:07of of referrals. They are tired of

05:33:0952 seconds, Councillor.

05:33:11of process that lead nowhere. They want consequence. They want prevention. The EFF calls for a detailed timeline of when this stock discrepancy were first identified, clear identification of responsibility, regulating progress reports from GFIS to Council, implementation of a strong investigation management control, and where wrongdoing is confirmed, swift disciplinary and criminal action to be taken.

05:33:40Accountability is not an optional; it is the fundamental of a public trust. Let us not normalise financial ironing. Let us not accept prevention loss as a business. Johannesburg deserve a better government. Johannesburg deserve transparency. Johannesburg deserve accountability. Johannesburg deserve the EFF.

05:34:01Three seconds.

05:34:02Let's vote for the EFF. I thank you.

Item 6: ANC response on supply chain performance

05:34:06Thank you, Councillor. Councillor Modupi from the ANC.

05:34:15Thank you again, eh, Madam Speaker. Eh, let me say protocol observed. Madam Speaker, you know, there is always two sides of the same coin. But most of the time you'll realise that we focus on one side of the coin. And as African National Congress, if there is anything that we have ever failed on, is telling our story of success. We've got many prophets of doom

05:34:45who are whistle-blowers always talking about the negativities. So, here I'm going to be talking on item number six on the Operational Supply Chain Management Status Report. Madam Speaker, this report demonstrates that the city's procurement machinery is functioning at scale, with direct purchases amounting to approximately 1.048 billion rand in the second quarter alone, and year-to-date spending exceeding 2.47 billion rand.claim

05:35:17Madam Speaker, this level of activity confirms that departments are operational, goods and services are being delivered, and service delivery has not stalled despite broader fiscal pressures reflected in earlier section 71 reports.

05:35:34The report further shows that contract expiries are being tracked proactively, Madam Speaker, that disclosure to National Treasury for transactions above 100,000 rand is taking place, and that stock adjustment percentages remain within acceptable norms,claim

05:36:00which speaks to systems that are active and monitored, Madam Speaker. Eh, these are good sides of the coin that we do not hear of in this house. The total stock holding of approximately 113.9 million rand indicates that supply chains are stocked to support operations across regions. And importantly, Madam Speaker,claim

05:36:29no construction bids were cancelled. No breaches of contract were recorded during the period. Because, Madam Speaker, as African National Congress we are honest, we will always acknowledge these positives and, eh, also acknowledge our shortcomings. We recognise areas requiring attention, Madam Speaker, particularmente the high value of direct purchases

05:37:00above 10 million rand and the 26.2 million rand worth of stock marked for deletion and referred for investigation. These issues, Madam Speaker, do not negate the progress reflected, but they do call for strengthened inventory management, tighter forward planning, and clearer reporting on high-value procurement categories. As the ANC, we affirmclaim

05:37:30that operational continuity, transparency, and compliance are being maintained. But we equally commit to reinforcing oversight so that efficiency, value for money, and capital implementation improve further. Our position is clear, Madam Speaker: the system is functioning and service delivery continues, and with targeted improvements, it can function even better. Madam Speaker,

05:38:00as African National Congress, we note this report. Thank you.

Item 6: MMC reply, racial politics exchange and adoption

05:38:04Thank you so much, Councillor Modupi. MMC Masuku.

05:38:10Thank you, Speaker. The Councillor Shai, um, indeed, I think it's the same comment you made earlier, and of course, we must always strive to ensure that the city gets the best service, eh, and, ah, make sure we get the services at the cheapest price. Thank you for that acknowledgement. Um, Councillor Harris, this the the issue on the specialised debt collection panel that expired,claim

05:38:40um, the city is now using the National Treasury collection panel through the transversal contract. I alluded to that earlier on as well. Um, thank you, Councillor Modupi, your points are noted, um, on the points you've raised. I think, Speaker, before I sit down, I must indicate that, um, we are not talking about, ah, wishes; we are talking about what exists. The City of Johannesburg has an Executive Mayor, and the Executive Mayor is Dada Morero,claim

05:39:12ah, who is, um, a leader of the Government of Local Unity, Executive Mayor, and he's leading the implementation of the turnaround, um, strategy that was approved by Council. So, um, we can't speak about people who are still wishing to become, ah, mayors. We are talking about people who are implementing strategy, people who are visiting communities, addressing challenges head-on to ensure that we deal with the water challenges and as well as strengthen our revenue collectionclaim

05:39:42and reform in terms of our municipal entities. Also, we can't be speaking about people who failed the communities of Khayelitsha. We can't be speaking about people who failed the communities of Langa. When they come here, it means they will never be interested in dealing with issues of the people of Soweto, dealing with issues of our communities. They will only focus on issues that speak to the colour of their skin. We are not there. We say services for all, and we are happy with the leadership we have. It's quite all right. Thank you.

05:40:12Thank you. MMC... Councillor... Yes, Councillor Christians?

05:40:25But the Speaker, but the...

05:40:27Thank you, Madam Speaker.

05:40:28MMC is seated.

05:40:29I had my hand up while she was speaking, Madam.

05:40:31Yeah, but you heard me calling her, and she did not hear me. But she was she's seated now, so it wouldn't give us any...

05:40:40Madam Speaker, all I want to say is let this house not be degraded by bringing in racial politics. Thank you.

05:40:45Thank you.

05:40:51The the the recommendations are on page 6.4. Is the item agreed to?

05:40:58Agreed.

05:40:59Thank you, colleagues. STC.

Item 7: Supply chain deviation and ratification report – Piotrans Regulation 36 deviation

05:41:02We're now on item seven, and that is the Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Deviation and Ratification Reports that were considered and approved by the Accounting Officer for the period um October 2025 eh to December 2025.

05:41:22Councillor T. Shai from ActionSA.

05:41:34Eh, thank you once again, Madam Speaker.

05:41:35Before you before you speak... Chair of Chairs.

05:41:46Just hold on, Councillor.

05:42:24You can continue, Councillor.

05:42:38Oh, okay, sir. Thank you.

05:42:47No, I... Oh, okay. No, thank you, Speaker. I believe all protocol observed. Item seven eh is about Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Deviation and Ratification Report, period October to December 2025. I note on this report eh regarding the Piotrans, is a company formed by taxi association,claim

05:43:20the eh Regulation 36 was applied here. So I want to eh it was applied here. So so eh I it was applied here to ensure operational continuity while finalising the long-term procurement. We request eh we request clarity on this application. Was this deviation truly due to a lack of time, or this eh this company has been kept because it ties with the taxi association,

05:43:50making impossible for for it to be replaced? If it's a timing issue, I indicate a failure of the city. We must monitor expiring contract to avoid this deviation. Two years is too far, too long for one company to hold about 383 million contract without competition. This is nearly half a billion rand awarded outside normal process. Regulation 36 is for genuine emergency,

05:44:20not administrative failures. Furthermore, we can see when furthermore, when the city mention the long-term procurement, does this refer to a new process or an intent to keep the same company? We are told this is a routine noting report. This is not. What is hidden inside this eh technical report is eh 383.6 million deviation to appoint

05:44:50Piotrans for Rea Vaya Phase 1A for up to 24 months without competitive bids. The city claim that this is a this is for operational continuity. However, continuity begins with a proper planning, not eh not when the contract expire. When the city fails to plan, it manufactures its own emergency and hide behind the Regulation 36.

05:45:19The Auditor-General was eh Auditor-General has repeatedly warned against the abuse of deviation. Year after year, we see the same pattern. At what point do the eh at what point do we stop pretending this is exception and admit it becomes a norm? A 24-months deviation is not a 24-month deviation is not a is not a temporary, and

05:45:48383 million deviation is not a minor. This is not a compliant; it's a government failure. Allow me to quote this scripture, Proverbs 23 verse 2. It says, "When the city eh when the righteous are in a place of authority, the city will rejoice." This city need a saviour. It need it need to eh it need someone who give hope to the hopeless, to set the captive free from the oppressed system, to give water to the thirst,

05:46:19and to bring light from the darkness.

05:46:24This city need someone who has been tried, tested, and found worthy, trustworthy, who is who who has been delivered for this city before, and is already and is ready to lead us into a new chapter again, not with persuasive words, but with action. I note the report.emotive

05:46:46Okay, thank you very much, eh Councillor Shai. Eh, I now call upon the ACDP Councillor, Councillor Harris.

05:46:57Ah, thank you, Acting Speaker. I rise to speak to item seven, the Group Strategic Supply Chain Management Deviation and Ratification Reports that were considered and approved by the Accounting Officer for the period ah October 2025 to December 2025. There's only one item there, and I I don't want to repeat what ah Councillor Shai has said,claim

05:47:26but I wanted to say that any dealings with Piotrans, I'm going to appeal that those dealings must be looked at with a magnifying glass, because you can't have such huge amounts of money allocated to one organisation on a temporary and a deviation basis. But having said that, the ACDP notes this report with reservations. Thank you.

05:47:57Thank you very much, eh Councillor Harris. Eh, DA, Councillor N. Pietersen.

05:48:04Thank you very much, um Speaker. Um, I must start off by saying I was almost very impressed by the turnout of the executive at today's Council session. But unfortunately, though, um with this particular item that's been tabled, the executive in question is not present. Obviously, there are more important matters on his plate as opposed to the 389 million rand deviationclaim

05:48:36budget that we are allowing through here, which we allow through every two months. So, there's only one deviation on this particular item, ah which is an improvement, so we must applaud the GLU for for that. However, this deviation is one of great concern. So, the report notes that one is approved, as already mentioned, it's for Piotrans, it's ah for Phase 1A services for 24 months at a cost of 383claim

05:49:10um million rand. Um, it's justified as an operational necessity and service delivery imperative. Regulation 36 does allow this, but Speaker, legality does not equal sustainability. The city complied with Regulation 36(2), which requires deviations to be reported to Council and to and included in the annual financial statements. But compliance alone does not address the underlying structural failures that make these deviations necessaryclaim

05:49:40in the first place. Why this matters now, ahead of the 2026 adjustment budget. In the last adjustment budget, tabled in 2025, already revealed a system under severe strain: a 150 million rand reduction in the Public Transport Network Grant; a 93.4 million rand drop in revenue from goods and services; a 19.7 million rand reduction linked to delays at the GT,claim

05:50:09which has been, ah, since I've become a councillor, we've been waiting for GT to open; a 342.3 million rand reduction in contracted services. These cuts were absorbed then, but they have now compounded. And as we approach the 2026 budget in the near future, almost today, but not quite, the Transport Department enters the cycle from an even weaker position. The financial fundamentals remain unchanged and unsustainable.claim

05:50:38In quarter one of 2024/25, Rea Vaya generated 18.8 million in fare revenue, while operator payments alone amounted to 95 million. That's a farebox recovery rate of 19.8%, meaning the city spends five rand for every five rand for every rand collected. When we include the full departmental operating expenditure of 374 million rand against a revenue of 66 million rand, the gap becomes even more severe.claim

05:51:08Speaker, this is not a political point; it is arithmetic, and arithmetic does not negotiate. Operational realities: even with Phase 1C now open—Phase 1C has recently opened, and this is a welcome development; it should over time improve ridership and expand network reach—but Speaker, the opening of Phase 1C does not erase the operational challenges that continue to undermine the system. Average weekday trips remain at 24,840,claim

05:51:38far below the 40,000 target. Piotrans remains under business rescue. Station maintenance and security costs remain high. And critically, on AFC, technical progress is not the same as revenue recovery. The IT director has claimed that fare collection has improved, and indeed, the GICT report confirms significant technical progress.claim

05:52:02All bus validators have been installed. The ticket office machine is installed at 44 at 44 Phase 1A and 1B stations. Phase 1C gates delivered and installed. The upgraded AFC systems went live on the 1st of July 2025—that's the Automated Fare Collection. Work is underway on the MOU between Metrobus and Rea Vaya for interoperability. Thank goodness.

05:52:30Speaker, these are real achievements and they deserve recognition, but we must be honest: nowhere in the report is there evidence of improved revenue. The AFC upgrade is designed to reduce leakage, improve accuracy, and modernise payment options, but the system's purpose is not the same as its impact. And the GICT report provides no revenue analysis, no before-and-after comparison, no quantifiable improvement in fare collection. Until Council sees the numbers, claims of improved revenue remain untested.

05:53:01This is precisely why item seven matters. Deviations are not neutral; they are governance signals. They tell us where systems are failing, where planning is weak, and where oversight must be strengthened. The DA's position is a sustainable alternative. The Democratic Alliance has long argued that Johannesburg cannot build a functional transport system on emergency procurement and last-minute extensions. Our policy position is clear: restore competitive procurement as the norm.

05:53:32The city must ensure that contracts are prepared, advertised, adjudicated, and awarded on time. Business rescue at Piotrans cannot be allowed to paralyse the entire system. We must implement a cost-to-serve model. Council must know which routes are viable, which require restructuring, and where resources must be redirected. We must demand measurable AFC performance, not assurances. The AFC upgrade must be accompanied by transparent revenue reporting.

05:54:01If the system is improving fare collection, the numbers must show it. We must strengthen contract management. Deviations should not be used to compensate for planning failures. We must build a financially sustainable transport model. A farebox recovery rate of 20% is not a transport system; it is a subsidy programme with buses attached. Subsidies must be targeted, transparent, and managed, not accidental. What Council must insist on before the 2026 adjustment budget

05:54:31is a quarterly farebox recovery report covering the full cost of the system, including stations, security, maintenance, and depreciation; a binding timeline and accountability framework for Piotrans stabilisation and AFC/ITS performance reporting; and lastly, a cost-to-serve analysis for every route and station to guide restructuring decisions. In conclusion, Speaker, Johannesburg deserves a public transport system that works, not one that survives on emergency transfers,

05:55:03shrinking grants, and hope and magical thinking. The deviation before us may be legally compliant, but it is also a symptom of a system in distress. As we approach the 2026 adjustment budget, Council must treat this deviation not as a footnote, but as a warning. The DA notes the report and calls for a return to disciplined procurement, transparent reporting, and a transport model that is financially sustainable, operationally reliable, and worthy of the residents who depend on it.

05:55:34I thank you.

05:55:38Thank you very much, eh Councillor Pietersen. EFF, Councillor Nethamba.

05:55:48Thank you, Chair. Greetings to the Caucus Leader of the EFF, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, Chief Whip of the EFF, Tabiso Mogapi, and all councillors and guests in the gallery. I greet you all. Regulation 36 is not a convenience clause. It is not a shortcut. It is an exception. The report before us tells us thatclaim

05:56:18for the period of 1st October to 31st December 2025, there was zero deviation, zero contract amended under the section 116, zero procurement from other organs of the state, and zero use of a National Treasury transversal contract. On a paper, that sounds good. But in the same breath, we are told that the Accounting Officer approved a deviation from normal procurement process andclaim

05:56:49and ratified breaches by officials, as reflected in Annexure A, B, and C. Could there be a typing error in the report? As the EFF, our responsibility is simple: clarity and accountability. If there were zero deviation, what was approved in Annexure A? If there were ratification of a breaches, what were those breaches? Were they truly minor

05:57:19and purely technical, as the regulation allows? The residents of Johannesburg are not interested in a technical language; they are interested in whether procurement is clean, transparent, and fair. Deviation process must remain rare, justified, and properly reported to Council. As required by Regulation 36, oversight cannot be reduced to a tick-box exercise. The EFF is not here to obstruct;

05:57:50we are here to ensure that emergency provision are not normalised, that ratification do not become a routine, and that accountability is not diluted under administrative language. Johannesburg deserve a procurement system that is beyond suspicion, not one that relies on backdated approval. As the EFF, we note the report with a concern and

05:58:20demand full transparency on this annexure, and ensure that Regulation 36 remains the exception, not a rule of the municipality. As the EFF, we note this report with concern. I thank you.

05:58:38Thank you very much, eh Councillor Nethamba. Councillor Modupi from the African National Congress.

05:58:57Thank you, Acting Speaker and Chair of Chairs. I'm standing here to speak on item number seven, the Deviations and Ratification Report. Speaker, the report reflects one major deviation approved during the period, relating to the appointment of Piotrans (Pty) Ltd for the continuationclaim

05:59:30of Rea Vaya Phase 1 services to the value of approximately 383.6 million rand for a period not exceeding 24 months. Speaker, this justification is based on operational continuity, ensuring that public transport services are not interrupted while longer-termclaim

06:00:00term procurement processes are being finalised.

06:00:04We must recognise that Rea Vaya is a critical service for thousands of residents, Speaker.

06:00:12And any disruption, any disruption would have significant economic and social consequences.

06:00:19However, given the material size and duration of the deviation, Council must be satisfied that this is indeed exceptional and that a competitive procurement process is clearly planned and underway.

06:00:36The ANC does not normalise deviations,

06:00:40but we do support responsible decisions that prevent service collapse

06:00:46while remaining within the law. We therefore support noting the report while calling for regular progress updates, a defined procurement timeline, and firm assurance that the deviation remains temporary and compliant within Regulation 36. Thank you very much.

06:01:14Thank you very much, Councillor Modupi.

Item 7: Deputy Mayor's reply and noting

06:01:18The Executive Deputy Mayor.

06:01:24Thank you, Chair of Chairs.claim

06:01:28Um, the issue of the Piotrans, the tender has been awarded, and a new provider who has got the order and which will be delivered by the end of this year. And I think the comments from the councillors are all welcome to ensure that we are transparent and there's clarity and the use of the regulation as and when it's required, and we ask Council to note this report. Thank you.claim

06:02:00Thank you very much, Executive Deputy Mayor. The recommendations are on page 7.3. Is the item agreed to?

06:02:09Noted. Noted.

06:02:11Thank you.

Item 8: Third generation District Development Model One Plan – opening speakers

06:02:13Uh, Councillors, on item eight. Item eight is tabling of the third generation City of Johannesburg District Development Model One Plan.

06:02:29The speaker is ActionSA Councillor J. Aphane.

06:02:40Greetings, Speaker, members of Council, Fabulous 44, and fellow citizens.

06:02:53I stand here, Speaker, on item eight, and ActionSA notes the report. Thank you.

06:03:01Thank you, Councillor Aphane. ACDP, Councillor Harris.

06:03:11Thank you once again, Madam Speaker. I rise to speak to item eight.

06:03:17The aim of the District Development Model is to accelerate development impact through integrated, spatially targeted planning. My understanding is that a plan of this magnitude, if it is to be integrated, has to include more than catalytic projects and competitive products. There must be evidence of systems thinking to link all the elements of an effective plan together. Following a template to craft a plan of this nature diminishes systems thinking.

06:03:51Housing is mentioned 50 times in this report. It does not address the current growing waiting list for housing. The exclusion of the construction sector from the list of competitive products is a cause for concern, especially considering the high levels of unemployment in the city. The report says nothing about inward migration and growing urbanisation trends. The need to cater for and serve those seeking a better life is now and not at some future date.

06:04:23It is also concerning that backyard housing and informal settlements are recognised as integral components of the plan. Granted, these modalities provide a source of income for those engaged in the backyard and informal real estate. The existing water and electricity infrastructure was never designed to carry the massive loads unplanned densification demands. In the opinion of the ACDP, an integrated forward-looking plan cannot entrench

06:04:53backyard dwellers and informal settlements as a permanent part of a developmental plan. This environment robs people trapped there of an opportunity to access decent housing, and the stigma robs people of their dignity. Outside of the Southern Farms project, there is no plan to develop the Deep South. The focus is on the transport-orientated developments and the old Corridors of Freedom. The Perth Corridor is noticeably absent from future plans.

06:05:24Also, the current rental stock of houses, flats, and retirement villages owned and managed by the city are excluded from the plan. These depressed areas are not part of the city's thinking, seemingly. It will be interesting to see the nuts and bolts of the Township Economy Revitalisation Programme, considering how the informal retail sector has been surrendered to traders and syndicates from various parts of the world,

06:05:5220 seconds.

06:05:53except South Africans. The ACDP notes the report with reservations, especially reservations about the unequal distribution of developmental projects throughout the city. I thank you.

Dispute over sharing speaking time between parties

06:06:06Thank you, Councillor Harris. Councillor Cook is not here, so we will go on to Councillor L. Magwentshu, Chair.

06:06:21Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, can I give my minutes to Councillor Zigebe, who will speak on behalf of the MGP?

06:06:37Councillor Chair Magwentshu, unfortunately, remember at the last Council sitting we had agreed that we are no longer giving our minutes from one political party to another political party unless you are in the same political party. You are ATM, he's UDM. We are not going to be sharing like that.

06:07:07So you speak, and then Councillor Zigebe speaks. We have agreed in the last Council sitting that we do not do that again. I thank you.

06:07:20Noted, Speaker. I note the report. Thank you.

06:07:25Councillor Zigebe. Did I see a hand at the back? Councillor Gwamanda. Councillor Zigebe, can you take your seat, please?

06:07:38Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I do in fact recall the complaint that was made, but you did not rule on the matter. So I would like for you to reconsider, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

06:07:55Councillor Gwamanda, I can recall I ruled on it. I can recall I ruled on it, and we said we are no longer going to do it. We said we were giving you that chance that day, but as from the next Council sitting, we will not be doing it again. I can recall. So we are not going to share minutes of different political parties. Councillor Zigebe, can you come?

Item 8: UDM and DA positions on the One Plan

06:08:29Speaker, we are not merely noting a document today. We are engaging with a third generation City of Johannesburg District Development Model One Plan, the Living One Plan, which is explicitly positioned as a data-driven, performance-based, and outcomes-focused planning instrument aligned to the Integrated Development Plan of 2025/2026 and the long-term spatial vision of the city. If we take that language seriously, then it is not a ceremonial exercise. It is a governance reset.

06:09:00Johannesburg contributes nearly 15% of South Africa's national Gross Domestic Product and approximately 45% of Gauteng's Gross Domestic Product. Financial and business services alone account for 32.6% of the city's gross value added. We host the continent's most significant stock exchange, we are the financial capital of Africa, and we are the gateway for capital flows into the Southern African region. That is economic scale. But economic scale without inclusion, distribution, producesclaim

06:09:30spatial injustice. We remain a city where unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, remains structurally high, where service backlogs persist in historically marginalised areas, where infrastructure theft costs the city hundreds of millions annually, where gender-based violence and safety concerns shape how women move through the city, and where persons with disabilities still encounter physical barriers in public spaces. The third generation One Plan attempts to confront this fragmentation by integrating

06:10:01social, spatial, economic, environmental, infrastructure, and governance priorities into a single framework, supported by a performance monitoring system aligned to the Integrated Development Plan and Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plans. That alignment is critical because if the performance indicators in the One Plan do not translate into budget lines in the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework and into quarterly Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan targets, then this becomes a strategy divorced

06:10:31from expenditure. The plan situates catalytic projects within a tiered hierarchy: Level 1 game changers, Level 2 major enablers, and Level 3 major needs projects. Level 1 projects are government-funded mega infrastructure initiatives with multi-sectoral significances. Level 2 projects leverage private capital through partnerships and public-private partnerships. The Level 3 projects focus on community-level interventions addressing pressing needs such asclaim

06:11:01basic services, social cohesion, gender-based violence, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and food security. That hierarchy is not cosmetic. It is intended to create a pipeline logic where mega infrastructure unlocks economic-enabling investments, and those investments translate into measurable community-level impact. We are told that catalytic projects have already been integrated into the IDP and the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework, with early implementation initiated in Quarter 3 of

06:11:32the 2025/26

06:11:3310 seconds.

06:11:34financial year. That means this Council's oversight must now focus on financial discipline, procurement readiness, land and regulatory approvals, bulk infrastructure capacity, and risk management. If a Level 1 project is not financially de-risked, it becomes a liability. If Level 2 public-private partnerships is not structured properly, it exposes the city to

06:11:5430 seconds, Councillor.

06:11:55fiscally. If Level 3 projects are not monitored for outcomes, they become fragmented ad hoc initiatives without systemic impact. I note the report.

06:12:04Thank you, Councillor.

06:12:11Councillor K. Wax from the DA.

06:12:20Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, fellow councillors, guests, and residents, all protocol observed. Today this Council is asked to note the third generation District Development Model One Plan. The DA cannot support a model that centralises power, dilutes accountability, and undermines the constitutional autonomy of local government.

06:12:49This model, Madam Speaker, is presented as a silver bullet meant to improve coherence, planning, and service delivery across the three spheres of government. It promises integrated planning, joint budgeting, and coordinated implementation. It speaks of district hubs, political champions, and long-term One Plans for all district and metro spaces. It claims to unlock development, accelerate service delivery, and address poverty, inequality,

06:13:20and unemployment. But behind this lavish plan, Madam Speaker, lies a model that is fundamentally flawed: structurally, constitutionally, financially, and practically. Let me give you five reasons why the DA's got some major problems with this model. The model, Madam Speaker, in the first place, centralises power and undermines local autonomy. The Constitution makes it clear that municipalities are a distinct

06:13:50sphere of government, not administrative outposts of national or provincial departments. Yet the model introduces nationally appointed political champions who oversees local planning and implementation. It introduces district hubs that sit outside municipal structures but influence municipal priorities. And this One Plan that becomes, then becomes a de facto master plan overriding Integrated Development Plans.

06:14:21This is not cooperative governance. It is a developing centralisation. Instead of empowering municipalities, the model re-centralises decision-making in national government, eroding the authority of elected local councils and weakening democratic accountability. Secondly, Madam Speaker, the model adds bureaucracy instead of fixing it. South African municipalities already struggle with slow

06:14:52procurement, fragmented mandates, overlapping responsibilities, and weak intergovernmental coordination. The model's response to this situation will result in more layers, more committees, more reporting, and more plans. The One Plan process requiresclaim

06:15:10Councillor Wax, please speak into the mic.

06:15:13The One Plan, sorry, Madam Speaker, the One Plan process requires extensive feasibility studies, cost-benefit analysis, business cases, district-level coordination structures, and national technical capacity teams. While this may look impressive on paper, in practice it slows down delivery, diverts scarce administrative capacity, and creates parallel structures that duplicate municipal functions. Municipalities need fewer obstacles, not more.

06:15:46Thirdly, Madam Speaker, the model fails to address the real causes of municipal collapse. The model assumes that a lack of coordination causes poor service delivery. We all can acknowledge, and we all are acutely aware of the real causes of poor service delivery: political interference, cadre deployment, financial mismanagement, collapsing infrastructure, dysfunctional administrations, and lack of consequence management. No amount

06:16:16of One Plans or district-level workshops will fix a municipality where corruption is tolerated and competence is optional. The model appears to treat symptoms and not causes. Fourthly, Madam Speaker, the model risks misalignment in priorities and unfunded mandates. The One Plan is positioned as a long-term strategic framework guiding investment and delivery, but it is not funded. Nor does it replace existing IDPs, SDFs, or sector plans,

06:16:48despite introducing new priorities without new resources. Municipalities already face severe fiscal pressures. The model adds expectations without providing the means to meet them. And then finally, Madam Speaker, this model has not demonstrated success in pilot sites. It was implemented in places like OR Tambo District, the Waterberg District, eThekwini Metro, yet none of these pilots show measurable improvement

06:17:19in service delivery, financial or governance stability. If the pilots cannot demonstrate success, why impose the model nationwide? Madam Speaker, we do have a problem with this particular model. In Joburg, the city is already battling infrastructure collapse, billing failures, crime and lawlessness, water and electricity instability, and financial strain. The model only exacerbates

06:17:49this problem by distracting leadership, confusing planning, undermining accountability, and slowing down urgent interventions. And it shifts power away from Council. It is a centralising, bureaucratic, and an untested model that risks weakening local democracy and slowing down service delivery. It is not a solution to our crisis. Johannesburg deserves better, Madam Speaker. It needs decisive governance, not

06:18:20another level or layer of bureaucracy. In conclusion, we don't always just criticise, we offer real plans. The DA's alternative: instead of this model, the DA proposes a local governance reform agenda that's built on five pillars. Firstly, restore local autonomy through strengthening municipalities as independent, accountable spheres of government. Secondly, professionalise the public service by ending

06:18:51cadre deployment and appointing skilled, qualified professionals based on merit, competence, and integrity. Thirdly, strengthen financial sustainability by enforcing strict financial controls. And in the fourth place, fix infrastructure by ensuring that open tender processes and competitive procurement becomes the order of the day. And then lastly, empower communities through deepened participatory governance,

06:19:22ward-based planning, and transparent reporting so that residents can hold leaders accountable. Madam Speaker, the DA stands ready with a credible, constitutional, and practical alternative that will restore

06:19:3645 seconds.

06:19:37autonomy, strengthen governance, and put residents first. I thank you.

Item 8: EFF, ANC and MMC on the One Plan; noting

06:19:43Thank you, Councillor Wax. Councillor Nethamba from the EFF.

06:19:54Thank you, Speaker. It's Nethamba. Greetings to the Caucus Leader of the EFF, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, Chief Whip of the EFF, Thabiso Mogapi, and congratulations on your new role. I know you will thrive. Greetings to the 29 battalions of the EFF. Greetings to all councillors. Greetings to the guests in the gallery. I greet you all in the name of expropriation of land without

06:20:24compensation. Speaker, as the EFF, we note the report.

06:20:31Thank you, Councillor Nethamba. Councillor Modupi from the ANC.

06:20:52SesothoKe lebohe hape Motsamaisi wa Dipuisano ka hare ho lekgotla lena la Masepala wa Johannesburg.

06:21:01Madam Speaker, today we table the third generation District... Ntate Maluleke, can I be protected?

06:21:19He must go out. Okay, right. Today we table the third generation District Development Model One Plan. And as the ANC, we rise in support of this important framework. This plan is not just another policy document, Madam Speaker. This plan is not just another policy document, it is anchored in the Constitution, particularly the principles of cooperative governance under Chapter 3, which require

06:21:50all spheres of government to work together in mutual trust and good faith. It is further supported by the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act of 2005, which institutionalises alignment and coordination across national, provincial, and local government. In addition, Councillors, can we be together?

06:22:22Councillor Modupi, what's the problem there?

06:22:25They are, I think they are speaking, so I hear their echoes behind me.

06:22:29Colleagues, can we not do that, please?

06:22:32Okay, thank you. It is further supported by the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act of 2005, which institutionalises alignment and coordination across national, provincial, and local government. Madam Speaker, in addition, the Municipal Systems Act requires us to undertake integrated development planning, and the Municipal Finance Management Act demands that planning and budgeting speak to each

06:23:03other. This One Plan seeks to bring those legal obligations into practical alignment. The Gen 3 One Plan strengthens our long-term spatial vision to 2050, aligns with our IDP and Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework, and integrates catalytic projects intended to unlock economic growth, infrastructure delivery, and social transformation.

06:23:36It positions Johannesburg as a system integrator within the Gauteng City Region, ensuring that public investment is coordinated rather than fragmented. This is a positive and necessary step toward building a capable developmental state at local government level. However, Madam Speaker, support must go hand in hand with discipline. We must ensure that the catalytic projects identified in this plan

06:24:08are properly costed, aligned to available resources in line with the Division of Revenue Act, and backed by clear performance indicators. We must avoid a situation where strategic ambition outpaces fiscal reality. Council oversight structures must receive regular implementation updates so that this remains a living plan, not a document that gathers dust. On behalf of the African National Congress, we support the

06:24:39tabling and noting of the third generation DDM One Plan. At the same time, we call for rigorous monitoring, financial prudence, and measurable outcomes to ensure that this framework translates into real service delivery improvements for the people of Johannesburg. Madam Speaker,

06:25:00Sesothoke a leboha.

06:25:02Thank you so much, Councillor Modupi. MMC Masuku, Deputy Mayor-Elect.

06:25:15Thank you very much, Speaker. The District Development Model is a national government approach designed to improve cooperative governance, planning coherence, and developmental impact through integrated spatial planning across all districts and metros. This One Plan builds on previous versions and represents a shift towards a data-driven, performance-based, and outcomes-focused planning instrument aligned with the city's turnaround agenda

06:25:46and long-term spatial vision. The plan aligns with the key planning framework, including the Integrated Development Plan, Spatial Development Framework, our SDF 2050, and the national and provincial priorities within the Gauteng City Region. This One Plan is informed by multiple legislative frameworks, including the Constitution of South Africa, the IGR Framework Act, Municipal Systems Act, Municipal Structures Act,

06:26:16Municipal Finance Management Act, Division of Revenue Act, National Development Plan, and Sustainable Development Goals. These frameworks guide cooperative governance, accountability, and integrated development planning. And it's important for all of us to support these because they are underpinned by the Constitution of South Africa and all legislative documents in terms of the policy framework I have articulated. This plan includes a long-term strategic vision to 2050, and

06:26:47integrated social, spatial, economic, environmental, and infrastructure priorities, a performance-based implementation and monitoring framework which is aligned to our IDP, and of course, steered to make sure that our catalytic projects framework and institutional governance arrangements, including the infusion and fusion centre and anchor teams. The public consultation and participation process was done for this particular plan, and civic

06:27:18education and community-based planning sessions to ensure that there's a vast stakeholder input. And this is important because it is in line with transparency and ensuring that communities and stakeholders are part of decisions that we take. The third generation City of Johannesburg DDM One Plan represents a mature and integrated planning instrument that strengthens cooperative governance and aligns development priorities across government spheres.

06:27:49The plan supports long-term transformation through coordinated planning from national, province, and local government, investment alignment, and performance monitoring. Its implementation is expected to improve development outcomes and reinforce Johannesburg's leadership in integrated planning within the Gauteng City Region. We ask Council to approve this particular plan to ensure that we strengthen our efforts in coordination and ensuring

06:28:19that we improve service delivery by fostering this collaboration and ensuring that all spheres of government work together for the service delivery and service to the communities that we serve. I thank you, Speaker.

06:28:33Thank you so much. Um, colleagues, the report is for information. Is the item noted?

06:28:43Thank you so much. SDC.

06:28:48Um, I see the hand of Councillor Christians, but we haven't said anything. Okay, let's hear you.

06:28:58Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, just in terms of the noting, you heard Councillor Wax, he did say that we're not in support of this, and we'd like that recorded. Thank you.

06:29:09Thank you, Councillor Christians.

Item 10: 2026/27 IDP, medium-term budget and tariffs for public consultation – first speakers

06:29:13Councillors, we proceed with item 10, sorry, which is the 2026/27 Integrated Development Plan, the medium-term budget, and tariffs report for public consultation.

06:29:29The first speaker on the item, Councillor Harris from the ACDP.

06:29:40Greetings once again, Madam Speaker. I rise to speak to item 10, the 2026/27 Integrated Development Plan, medium-term budget, and tariffs report for public consultation. At the risk of sounding cynical, I am of the opinion that the IDP process will start another round of...

06:30:00engagements merely to tick the boxes of legislative requirements. Residents would be presented with plans, they will be given an opportunity to vent. Our inputs into the community-based planning process will be tabulated and the budget steering committee will decide where the resources are allocated. With respect to all of those who worked so hard to putting these roadshows together, it is a futile exercise.

06:30:26As the ACDP we have a serious challenge with the tariff report forming a part of this process. Section 74 and 75 of the Municipal Structures Act, Act 32 of 2000, provides guidelines for the imposition of charges and levies on service provision. This important segment is lost in the noise of the IDP process and it is ambush marketing for impending price increases.

06:30:55Residents are not given a comprehensive briefing on the need to pay for services. They are also not informed about the range of charges and surcharges they see on their monthly bills. They are not afforded an opportunity to articulate their frustrations with the billing processes and the pedantic and obnoxious behaviour of some of the staff at the client services centers. Our suggestion is that the medium-term budget and the tariffs report be treated as separate engagements with all stakeholders

06:31:25including civil society. This will give the city an opportunity to speak directly to customers and to get to the bottom of the low-key payment revolt the city is experiencing at the moment. The ACDP notes this report with serious reservations. I thank you.

06:31:41Thank you, Councillor Harris. Councillor Cook is not here, so we'll go straight to Councillor Magwentshu, Chair.

06:31:52Thank you, Speaker. We note the report.

06:31:55Thank you, Councillor Magwentshu. We will now go to Chair Zigebe from the UDM.

06:32:07Speaker, let's first congratulate the Deputy Executive Mayor-elect on her new responsibility, uCouncillor Masuku, and also the Chairperson of Health and Social Development, uCouncillor Mogapi.

06:32:21isiXhosaHuntshu, bantase, niqhubeke ningayeki. Ndikhumbula sisithi kusithiwa apha kule council, "Women on top." Nantsi ke i-women on top siyidilivarishile.

06:32:34Speaker, this is one of the most politically and constitutionally significant processes of this council. The Integrated Development Plan is not merely a document, it is a social contract between the city and its residents. The Municipal Systems Act makes public participation a constitutional obligation, and if that participation is procedurally compliant,

06:32:56but substantively hollow, then the entire budget architecture of this city becomes vulnerable politically and legally. Yes, the report outlines regional summits, stakeholder engagements and task teams, that is necessary,

06:33:09but the true test is not whether meetings happen. The true test is whether community inputs meaningfully shape allocations. We are allocating 2.7 million of public funds for this consultation process. That demands measurable outcomes. How many ward-based submissions will translate into funded line items?

06:33:29How will communities see their voices reflected in the final capital program? What mechanisms exist to close the feedback loop? Because if residents attend, speak and submit, and nothing changes in the budget tables, then participation becomes ceremonial. We must also

06:33:46confront a difficult truth regarding inclusion. Last year, there were coordination failures affecting persons with disabilities, transport that did not adequately accommodate mobility impairments, venue access challenges, and catering arrangements that did not sufficiently consider medical and dietary needs. That is not a logistical inconvenience. It is an equality issue.

06:34:09If transport is not wheelchair accessible, participation is denied. If venues are not fully accessible, participation is also denied. If dignity is compromised in basic arrangements, then our commitment to non-discrimination is hollow. Public participation must be accessible in design and not rhetoric. This requires verified accessible vehicles, proper venue audits, and structured logistical coordination

06:34:39that anticipates needs rather than reacts to complaints. Speaker, coordination must also be real. Departments cannot attend with gazebos and pamphlets only. They must attend with decision-making authority. Council must receive raw inputs, summaries, categorized trends, financial implications of recurring demands, and clear reasons where requests cannot be accommodated.

06:35:02Transparency is what gives legitimacy to the process. In a city facing infrastructure backlogs, electricity losses, water network deterioration and billing instability, every rand must demonstrate value. Participation must be accessible,

06:35:17but it must also be efficient. We must know how the 2.7 million is structured and whether it reflects prudent spending in the current fiscal climate. If tariffs increase without meaningful consultation, trust erodes. When trust erodes, compliance declines, including revenue compliance. Participation is therefore not only democratic, it is fiscally strategic. Let us support this report, but insist on inclusive and credible execution. I thank you.

Item 10: EFF, ANC and Chair of Chairs on public participation; noting

06:35:45Thank you, Councillor Zigebe. EFF Councillor D Baloyi.

06:35:59Thank you very much, Speaker. Greetings to the honorable caucus leader, Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku. Greetings and congratulations to our Chief Whip, Thabiso Mogapi. Greetings as well to the 27 battalion of Economic Freedom Fighters.

06:36:26Greetings to our guests in the podium, and those who are watching us from social media. Speaker, this report speaks about transparency, responsiveness, and community participation.

06:36:44It outlines the task teams, communication plans, gazebos, online session, and branding. On paper, it looks comprehensive,

06:36:58but we must ask ourselves honestly: is this meaningful public participation, or is it procedural compliance dressed up as engagement?

06:37:16The first major gap is the way public consultation is structured. Residents are given two hours to engage departments informally, and thereafter, they are ushered into a formal session where only comments on the draft IDP are entertained.

06:37:40But service delivery failures are not separated from the IDP. They are the very same reason the IDP exists. When residents raise issues of water outage, electricity instability, billing crisis, housing backlogs, or unsafe roads,

06:38:06they are not digressing. They are highlighting planning failures. To manage those issues as if they are distractions is to misunderstand the purpose of participatory governance.

06:38:27Secondly, Speaker, the process remain presentation-driven. The city presents, the community reacts. There is a very little evidence on how community inputs fundamentally shape the priority before the draft is tabled.

06:38:53Participation should influence resources allocation, not merely respond to predetermined allocations. Otherwise, what we are doing is asking residents to comment on decisions that are already fiscally locked in.

06:39:12Thirdly, Speaker, there is a heavy reliance on digital platforms such as online session, apps, social media submissions. We must confront the reality that large section of our community do not have stable internet access or the digital literacy to engage meaningfully online.

06:39:40Public participation that depend on technology risk exclude the very same poor, the people who rely most on municipal services. Another serious gap is the absence of feedback mechanism.

06:40:04We are told that input will be consolidated, but consolidated into what? How many issues raised in the previous cycle were actually funded? How many ward priority were implemented?

06:40:28Without a clear, transparent tracking system...

06:40:30You've got 20 seconds, Councillor.

06:40:33The EFF has constantly argued that budget must be people's driven process. If communities are struggling with rising the tariffs and collapsing the service, then consultation must be grappled with those trade-offs honestly. I salute you.

06:40:55Thank you so much, Councillor. Councillor Molise. Modise? I didn't spell your surname. From the ANC, Councillor Molise, apologies.

06:41:15Good evening, Speaker. Good evening to the Executive Mayor. Good evening to the Deputy...

06:41:25Just hold on, Councillor. Those councillors that are walking in, you are walking in on your feet and not with your mouth, please. Thank you, Councillor, you can continue.

06:41:41Good evening to you, Speaker. Good evening to the Executive Mayor. Good evening to the Deputy Mayor, and residents of Johannesburg, in particular those who stays at the ward of choice, which is Ward 39 in Region D.claim

06:42:03SesothoKe a le dumedisa. Ke dumedisa makhanselara kaofela ka hare ho ntlo ya

06:42:12City of Johannesburg, which is Connie Bapela Chambers.

06:42:22I'm standing here noting the report with regards to the IDP. But Speaker, as the African National Congress, we want to raise this matter, the matter that seeks to at least clarify the role of IDPs and the processes of IDPs. What we have just

06:42:49observed is that many of our newly formed organizations that they seek relevance, they mobilize through the IDPs against our ward councillors. Ward councillors are getting attacked through these platforms, and we are requesting

06:43:16that this matter should be looked into. But also, Speaker, we are very much concerned about the usage of these IDP platforms. As is now, it looks like it is a rally. People, they motivate, they mobilize and bring at least people wearing their regalias.

06:43:45And this, it is now, as a result, turning into a political playground whereby community members, they don't even find it easy to express and at least highlight their plans that they have developed from the community-based plans. So Speaker, we are, as the African National Congress,

06:44:11isiZuluabantwana bakaTambo,

06:44:13we support the IDP through and through. We don't see any reason not to note the item. Thank you so much.

06:44:23Thank you so much, Councillor Molise. Chair of Chairs, Councillor Marema.

06:44:31Thank you very much, honorable Speaker, Executive Mayor and his executive, Chief Whip of Council. I rise to ask council to note this report and also to acknowledge all the comments made by councillors, that they are all taken into cognizance. Thank you very much.

06:44:56Thank you, Chair of Chairs. This report is for information. Is the item noted?

06:45:02Noted.

06:45:03Thank you.

Item 11: Ruling on Cllr Hoén's request for aldermanship and minority report dispute

06:45:07We're now on item 11, and that's ruling of the presiding officer on request for aldermanship by Councillor Hoén.

06:45:19Councillor J Mofokeng, Chair of the Rules Committee.

06:45:47Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Rules Committee plays a very important role in the life of this council, because it teaches a number of things that there must be respect, our council must be orderable, and people that are sitting in that committee are men and women that are of integrity, because issues that we are dealing with in that committee are issues of law by its nature.

06:46:19And by and large, cases that we are dealing with are cases that are referred by councillors, and in most cases, we make sure that as soon as we receive those cases, we deal with them. It's referrals and policies. Now, it is very important to note the following: that there's one or two councillors that are keeping us on our toes.

06:46:45One is Councillor Christians. All the referrals that we received are from Councillor Christians, and we urge all councillors to make sure that they make use of this committee, because in the absence of that, we won't be working as a committee. Speaker, allow me to table item 11

06:47:09for the consideration of the council. Thank you very much.

06:47:14Thank you, Chair Mofokeng. Councillor Christians has left, right? So can we go to the AIC, Councillor Mhlongo? Okay, sorry, I didn't see Councillor Belinda.

06:47:34Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to... You previously ruled that councillors from the same political party can take up time. I've just got a minute to say something on the same item.

06:47:48Yeah, well, we've indicated that if you are from the same political party, you can speak on behalf of the party. There's someone... Just hold on, Councillor. There's someone in this corner that's speaking so loud we can actually hear your conversation.

06:48:09Pardon? Councillor Louw, we actually can hear everything that you are saying, and if it's on a phone, we are going to fine you. Thank you. Councillor Belinda, who's going to speak on his behalf.

06:48:24Yes, just two comments, Madam Speaker. Thank you very much. We have submitted a minority report, and we don't seem to see that attached. We just want to put on record that that minority report that was submitted by the DA must be included in the report, and I'm a bit concerned that we are submitting these reports and it's not inside the reports that are coming to council. It was sent to legal and to all other committee members. It is a concern for us.

06:48:57But yeah, thank you very much.

06:48:59Thank you so much, Councillor Belinda. We'll hear from the member in charge. Councillor Mhlongo.

06:49:11Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Good evening to yourself. The AIC is noting the report together with the recommendations by the Rules Committee. Thank you so much.

06:49:23Thank you, Councillor Mhlongo. Just before you come on, Chair Mofokeng, I just need to find out something from legal. [00:19:37] [no speech]

06:49:53Member in charge, Councillor Mofokeng, and if you can also respond, yeah, okay.

06:50:06Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we note the concern from the Democratic Alliance, but our understanding is that if there's a minority report, which we spoke about in the committee, must be circulated to all councillors. All councillors, and that's the procedure. It cannot just come to the chairperson. But we note that, Councillor Belinda, we note it.

06:50:34Thank you very much, and we request the council to note the report.

06:50:44So the minority report, in my understanding, has not gone to the committee. Okay.

06:51:00It should come together with the main report. So if it has not gone through to the committee, so the report was not there. I will take the hand of Councillor Belinda.

06:51:18Madam Speaker, my apologies for... Don't mean to...

06:51:20Councillor Belinda, can you speak into the mic, please?

06:51:23Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to apologize, I'm not meaning to make a debate, but I just want to talk about, to just alert you that as much as the minority report come to the committee, there are committee officers that receive these, and if it's addressed to the chair and to the committee, these must be circulated by them. It doesn't mean that the person who is submitting the minority report must send it to individual councillors.

06:51:54So it's a bit of a concern that there's no clarity on that, because the rules are clear on that.

06:51:59Okay, Councillor Belinda, the minority report should be tabled in the committee, and if it was not tabled in the committee, it will not get to the report. But let's not have a debate on it. Councillor Da Gama, I don't know if you are going to say it was tabled in the committee, because I know you are not part of the committee,

06:52:25but can I hear you out, and I'm closing it after you.

06:52:31Chairperson, I...

06:52:32And I'll read the rule to you.

06:52:33Thank you very much, Speaker. Maybe just to address the Chairperson, that a minority report actually comes from an opposition. They state at the meeting itself that they're not satisfied with the report and that they would submit a minority report. It goes to the officials, and they must table it. It's as simple as that.

06:52:57Councillor Da Gama, what we are saying is it did not go that route. It did not go that route. And when I'm saying to you the content of a report in rule 130 (2), when there is substantial disagreement on policy issues, a minority report must accompany

06:53:26the committee report, and that report was not there, so it could not accompany the report. It was not given through the right channels so that it could accompany. Thank you for that. I've stated what the rule is, and I'm going to close on that. It was item 11, and the recommendations are on page 11.4. Is the item agreed to?

06:53:59Agreed.

06:54:03Item 11... Sorry, item 12.

06:54:06Just hold on. Councillor Belinda.

06:54:09Can we please put the DA's dissent on record, because we submitted a minority report, and based on that, we are also noting our dissent on the report.

06:54:18Thank you, Councillor Belinda.

Item 12: Terms of reference for the Section 79 Finance Committee

06:54:23Item 12, for terms of reference for the Section 79 Finance Committee.

06:54:31Is there anybody that is going to be in charge of the... to table the Finance Committee? Chair Cook is not here.

06:54:42Yes, I'm here, Madam Speaker.

06:54:44Thank you, Councillor Modupi.

06:54:46Thank you very much.

06:54:51You can table.

06:54:53Honorable Speaker, I rise to present item number 12 on the agenda, being the terms of reference of the Section 79 Finance Committee. The purpose of this item is to confirm and formalize the committee's legislative oversight, participatory and reporting responsibilities in relation to Group Finance and Group ICT. The committee considered the matter and recommends that council adopts the terms of reference

06:55:21and recommends that the council adopts the terms of reference as contained in the report. So I submit.

06:55:32Thank you, Councillor Modupi. We don't have any speakers on the report. The recommendations is on page 12.2. Is the item agreed to? Thank you, colleagues. STC.

06:55:51Item 12... Sorry, item 13 is an oversight visit report of the Section 79...

06:55:56Just hold on, STC. Is it Councillor Boer or is it Councillor De Lange?

06:56:02AfrikaansWant ek het twee hande gesien.

06:56:04Councillor Boer.

06:56:07Madam Speaker, I'm too tired to speak, so I used my caucus leader to speak on my behalf. Madam Speaker, we've just approved this new terms of reference, and I really want to say to the MMC, in this terms of reference it says the Finance Committee shall consider and make recommendations to council on the following matters,

06:56:31Councillor Boer...

06:56:32and then it says exercise oversight over...

06:56:33Councillor Boer,

06:56:35Yes, excuse, Madam.

06:56:37Afrikaansdie item is weg.

06:56:39Hmm?

06:56:40AfrikaansEn daar's nie name op die lys nie.

06:56:43And I've said it. I've said that we are on item 12, and Councillor Cook is not here, is there somebody that's going to table it? Another member tabled it, and I said there's no speakers, there is no speakers, and we closed it. We have given where the recommendations are, and we are done with it.

06:57:03Okay, Madam Speaker, we will waste our time again.

06:57:05AfrikaansEk wil jou nie hê jy moenie praat nie. Dankie.

Item 13: Economic Development oversight visit to De Villiers Street

06:57:12Item 13 is an oversight visit report of the Section 79 Economic Development to De Villiers Street, Johannesburg CBD, Region F, on the 12th of November 2025.

06:57:27Councillor T Mhlongo.

06:57:31Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I rise to table item 13, oversight visit report of the Section 79 Economic Development to De Villiers Street, Joburg CBD, Region F, on the 12th of November 2025, to be noted by this council. Greetings to you, Madam Speaker, Executive Mayor Councillor Dada Morero, the fresh from the box Deputy Executive Mayor, MMC Masuku, Chief Whip of Council, Councillor Kasimula Chauke,claim

06:58:05Chair of Chairs, Councillor Marema, members of Mayoral Committee, fellow councillors, City Manager and officials of the city, our guests in gallery,

06:58:15isiZulusanibonani.claim

06:58:17Madam Speaker, allow me to congratulate MMC Masuku for being elected as the first woman Deputy Mayor in the city, and also extend my congratulations to Councillor Mogapi for being elected Chairperson of Section 79 Health and Social Development. Madam Speaker, on the 12th of November 2025, the Economic Development Committee undertook an oversight visit to De Villiers Street in Johannesburg CBD, Region F.claim

06:58:46On its walkabout on the street, Madam Speaker, the committee found out that those who were deservedly issued with trading permits to trade on the street as per the order of the High Court in South Gauteng, some of these traders were subletting their permits to foreign nationals. However, the committee was impressed by the work being carried out by the Department of Economic Development...claim

06:59:10Speaker. Councillor Mkhonza.

06:59:21Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to bring to your attention that there's a councillor sleeping on duty.

06:59:28Hayi, Councillor Mkhonza. Councillor Mhlongo, can you carry on?

06:59:37Okay, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. As I was on... I don't know

06:59:42isiZulumanje ubaba uMkhonza ungiphazamisile.

06:59:46Okay.

06:59:47isiZuluHhayi kodwa ubaba uMkhonza angazi umfundisi wami,

06:59:49pastor, okay. Thank you so much. Okay. As the committee, Madam Speaker, was doing a walkabout on the street, the committee found out that

07:00:00those who were deservedly issued with trading permits to trade on the street, as per the order of the high court in South Gauteng. Some of these traders were subletting their permits to foreign nationals. However, the committee was impressed by the work being carried out by the Department of Economic Development and JPC in responding to these illegal practices. De Villiers Street and other streets nearby were cleaned through the work initiated by the executive mayor,

07:00:27who was branded by then by many in this house as a person who was doing that cleaning exercise only for G20. I invite you, all of you, to go to De Villiers Street and do the walkabout as of today. G20 has come and passed, then you'll be the judge. Today, De Villiers Street is a walkable street without anyone being scared of being mugged.

07:00:54isiZuluIsiminyaminya esabonwa uAyanda Msweli woKhozi FM kwi-traffic angeke usasithola la eDe Villiers.

07:01:02In conclusion, Madam Speaker, let me thank the members of the committee, officials of JPC and the department for complying with the court order within a short space of time. This reminded us that if we all put

07:01:1730 seconds.

07:01:18our hands on deck, nothing will be impossible. When Joburg works, South Africa works. I thank you, Madam Speaker.

07:01:25Thank you, Councillor Mhlongo. Once again, there's no speakers on the item and the recommendations are on page 13.6. Is the item agreed to? Thank you, everybody.

Item 14: Public Safety oversight visit to Randburg Licensing Centre

07:01:44Item 14 is an oversight visit of Section 79 Public Safety Committee to Randburg Licensing Centre on the 15th of January 2026.

07:01:57Councillor Makhuba, Chair of the Committee.

07:02:05Speaker of Council, the Executive Mayor, members of the Mayoral Committee, Chairpersons of Section 79, leaders of all political parties, councillors in the house, I greet you. I rise to table item 14, which is the oversight visit of Section 79 Public Safety Committee to Randburg Licensing Centre on the 15th of Januaryclaim

07:02:352026 for council consideration. Challenges noted during the visit and recommendations are in the body of the report. I thank you.

07:02:51Thank you so much, Councillor Makhuba. Once again, no speakers and the recommendations are on pages 14.2 to 14.3. Is the item agreed to? Thank you so much, councillors. STC.

Item 15: Changes in membership of Section 79 committees

07:03:13Item 15 are changes in membership of the various Section 79 committees.

07:03:19Thank you so much. We have EFF Councillor T. Mogapi. Chair T. Mogapi.

07:03:28Thank you, Speaker. We note the report.

07:03:31Thank you so much, Chair. We have the ANC Councillor M. Ndlela.

07:03:46Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the ANC, we note the report.

07:03:50Thank you so much, Chair. Whip of Council, Councillor Khazamula Chauke.

07:04:00Speaker, we ask the council to note the report. Thank you.

07:04:05Thank you so much, Chair. Colleagues, recommendations is on page 15.2. Is the item agreed to?

Items 16 and 17: Code of conduct investigation outcomes (in committee)

07:04:36Councillors, item 16 and item 17 will be read together. Item 16 is an outcome of investigation into alleged breach of the code of conduct for Councillor N. Nofemela, read together with item 17, which is also an outcome of investigation into alleged breach of code of conduct for Councillor Jack.

07:05:08We are now going to go in committee, and we would ask everybody that's in the gallery to remove yourselves, and every camera that's there, please take your camera with you if you can't switch it off. We want it out, and can we switch off the

07:05:40the screens and

07:47:15[inaudible] recommendations are on page 16.4 and 17.3. Are the items agreed to?

07:47:24Thank you so much, councilors. We are done with 16 and 17. STC.

Item 22: Response to Auditor-General audit findings 2024/25

07:47:32We now move to agency reports, starting off with item 22, which is the progress report on the tabling of the City of Johannesburg response and dispute of specific Auditor-General of the South African audit findings for financial year 2024/25.

07:47:54Thank you so much, STC. We call on Councilor S. Zitha from the EFF.

07:48:16No. Thank you very much, Speaker. This item is for information, right, MMC?

07:48:24Oh, yeah. So, as the EFF, we note. Thank you so much.

07:48:29Thank you, Councilor Zitha. Councilor Wax from the DA.

07:48:48Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I just want to make a few comments on on this report.

07:48:56Madam Speaker, fellow councilors, guests and residents, all protocols all protocol observed. What we have before us today is not merely an administrative update, it is a flashing red warning light for the residents of Joburg. Year after year, the Auditor-General's assessment of the city has deteriorated and instead of confronting the root causes, the executive has now chosen to enter

07:49:25a formal dispute with the very institution constitutionally mandated to hold us accountable. Let us be clear, a dispute with the Auditor-General is not a badge of honor. It is a symptom of a government that has lost control of its financial governance. The report shows missed deadlines, incomplete submissions, unfinalized management letters and an audit process that collapsed into confusion

07:49:55by November. And now, instead of fixing the failures, the city is arguing technicalities about GRAP 21, impairment assessments and audit evidence. Meanwhile, residents are sitting in the dark, dodging potholes and watching service delivery crumble. The executive wants us to believe that this is a procedural disagreement. But the facts tell a different story. When the AG cannot finalize an audit report

07:50:25because the city's information is incomplete or inconsistent, that is not a technical dispute, Madam Speaker, that is a governance crisis. When the city manager must lodge not one, but two formal disputes because the process has broken down, that is not oversight, that is dysfunction. And when the AG's own head of portfolio acknowledges irregularities in the process, it does not absolve the city. It exposes

07:50:55how fragile and chaotic our financial management has become. Most importantly, this dispute has real consequences for residents. A delayed audit means delayed oversight, delayed oversight means delayed accountability and delayed accountability means more waste, more irregular expenditure and more decay in the services people rely on every single day. Every extra month spent fighting the AG is a month where corruption

07:51:26risks go unchecked, where financial misstatements remain unresolved and where the city's credibility in the eyes of tenders, investors and national government continues to erode. Madam Speaker, Johannesburg cannot afford a government that treats the the AG as an adversary. We need a government that treats clean governance as a non-negotiable. We need leadership that fixes problems, not fights

07:51:55the referee, and we need a council that refuses to rubber-stamp excuses while the city slides deeper into crisis. The Democratic Alliance rejects this culture of defensiveness and decline. We call for full transparency on every disputed finding, a clear timeline for audit finalization and immediate corrective action to restore the integrity of the city's financial systems. Johannesburg's residents deserve

07:52:25a city that is accountable, competent and honest, not one that hides behind disputes while the lights go out. Madam Speaker, we note this report with grave concern. I thank you.

07:52:36Thank you, Councilor Wax. MMC Masuku.

07:52:45Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, the dispute process is actually a legal way suggested by the AGSA itself. And the issue of GRAP 21 that Councilor Alderman Wax is referring to was actually resolved yesterday, meaning therefore that our dispute was correct. Now, there are only three more issues remaining that we are engaging on with the Auditor-General.claim

07:53:13We are not actually fighting. We are using a process that is allowed by the Auditor-General to raise our issues as stipulated in law. The City of Cape Town, Madam Speaker, is also in a dispute. So, it is not about the City of Johannesburg, it is about municipalities who want to raise issues where they are not in agreement. I thank you. The report is for information. We've provided the information because we're a transparent government. We hide nothing from this council. Thank you, Speaker.claim

07:53:45Thank you so much, MMC. The

07:53:55It's item number 22 and as correctly said by the MMC, the report is for information. Is the item noted?

07:54:06Thank you so much.

Item 23: Upper limits of salaries and allowances of councillors 2025/26

07:54:10We now proceed with item 23, and that is the Remuneration of the Public Office Bearers Act of 1998, as amended, which is the determination of upper limits of salaries, allowances and benefits of different members of municipal councils for financial year 2025/26.

07:54:29Thank you. Thank you so much, STC. Councilor T. Mogapi from the EFF.

07:54:39Thank you, Speaker. The Economic Freedom Fighters reject the reports. Thank you.

07:54:48Thank you so much, Councilor Mogapi. Councilor Wax.

07:54:55Councilor Wax, you are on you are on to speak on this.

07:55:03No problem. If it was by mistake, it's fine.

07:55:10Councilor Tefu, are you calling a point of order on me?

07:55:19Thank you very much for for the limited time that you have given me. We note the sincere gesture from the EFF and we are hoping that when this is passed, all the councilors can donate their money to charity so that we can see that they are comradely and serious about this thing. Thank you.

07:55:36We'll wait that day. Thank you.

07:55:39Thank you. Councilors, councilors. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Chair of chairs.

07:55:52No, thank you very much, Speaker. I really don't think that I have anything to debate. We need this money. And I would want council to to actually note this report and approve it. Thank you very much.

07:56:10Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Chair of chairs. The recommendations are on page 23.7 and 23.8. Is the item agreed to?

Item 23: Contested voice vote and counted show of hands

07:56:21Agreed!

07:56:34Colleagues. Colleagues. Colleagues. Colleagues. This item we I will want to hear the yeses and the noes again, because this must go to

07:56:51Yes!

07:57:00Colleagues, I I I

07:57:04Yes!

07:57:11Colleagues. Colleagues.

07:57:16isiZuluHayi makancane

07:57:19Afrikaansasseblief.

07:57:21I'll give you all a chance to carry on and then I'll say I will do I will I will rule then. Colleagues, this report must go to COGTA, right?

07:57:32Yes.

07:57:33And when it goes to COGTA, we need to have the numbers that agreed, disagreed, and those that say they are not voting. So, we need to have numbers. Every time we do this, we need the numbers. Unfortunately. So, can we see those that say yes in the numbers?

07:58:04Oh, let me see those that abstain.

07:58:10Colleagues, can I can I can I can I please? We are having a process. Councilor Tefu, can you switch off your mic?

07:58:17Oh, sorry, Speaker.

07:58:19We are having a process. Can I see those who abstain?

07:58:24Madam Speaker.

07:58:25Those who abstain, can I see your hands? Councilor Maila, how can I help you?

07:58:33No, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. We were told this morning that the system works. Why are we not using the system instead of screaming?

07:58:41We can't work to do the system.

07:58:48We can't use the system.

07:58:50You want to vote in secret.

07:58:52Supported, Speaker, supported.

07:58:58We can't use the system because when we asked you to to train you, you did not want to be trained. Can I have those that say abstains?

07:59:12We know it, Madam Speaker.

07:59:14Can I please see those that abstain?

07:59:20There's only one hand that abstains at the back. ActionSA has one hand that abstained.

07:59:52Can I hear? Can I please say something else? I must also tell you

08:00:02That the new rule is if you abstained or you have not voted in favour you will not get upper limits. That's why we want it.

08:00:36isiZuluNenze njalo-ke madoda.

08:01:40You can drop your hands, I know it's painful. Those who say no.

08:02:05isiZuluSiya-abstain-a!

08:02:13isiZuluAsifuni caucus.

08:02:17Exposed. Exposed. Caucus!

08:04:01You can drop your hands. Can I see those... You can keep it up so long, it's fine, no, you can keep it for the next round. Those who are in favour. Those who are in favour can you put up your hands.

08:04:34Councillor Tefu.

08:04:36Deserving ward councillors.

08:05:27Speaker, please vote with us.

08:06:26You can drop your hands.

08:06:36Whilst they are counting, just for control, when this goes through, you know who the usual suspects are that calls me and ask, Speaker, is the upper limits ready? Please don't call me. Please don't call me. Because my phone will be off when I hear upper limits.

08:07:11Councillor Nkonyeni, you know you're the first one, ne?

08:07:34Okay, we responded in this way. There's 30 people that abstained. There's 85 people that said no. And there's 98 that said yes.

08:07:55So...

08:08:03Speaker!

08:08:04So...

08:08:05Can we ask for recount?

08:08:07So for control... So for control... That's a...

08:08:14Speaker!

08:08:15I'm just... So for control, the 30 and the 85, the 30 and the 85, please lose my number when you want upper limits.

08:08:28We want recount.

08:08:31EFF must not be given any upper limit.

08:08:32I hope that's not recorded, it's just a lighter note. Colleagues, can we carry on?

08:08:44Colleagues, we still have a few items. Can we carry on with those items?

Item 9: Motions of no confidence against Mayor and Section 79 chairs

08:08:55Councillors, we now proceed to item 9 and those are motions. And the first motion is a motion of a vote of no confidence against the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Sello Dada Morero.

08:09:14Can I see the proposer? Councillor... Chair Magwentshu.

08:09:24Thank you, Speaker.

08:09:26Colleagues, colleagues.

08:09:29Thank you, Speaker. The proposer has been summoned by his leadership, so he's not around. Thank you, Speaker.

08:09:38So... So the proposer is not here. I don't see the seconder, so the motion falls off. There's no such motion. Next item.

08:09:56We move to motion two and that is a motion of a vote of no confidence against the Chairperson of the Gender, Youth and People with Disabilities Committee, Councillor Yongama Zigebe.

08:10:08STC, just hold on. Colleagues, I can't even hear the STC that's next to me. Please! Right, carry on, STC.

08:10:20The second motion is a motion of a vote of no confidence against the Chairperson of the Gender, Youth, People with Disability Committee, Councillor Yongama Zigebe.

08:10:31The proposer is Councillor P Nzimande. Are you here? The seconder is Councillor S Hlatshwayo.

08:10:45isiZuluUphi uHlatshwayo?

08:10:48Can I hear you? Is Councillor Nzimande here? Okay, Councillor Hlatshwayo. Colleagues, please, can we just... We're almost finished.

08:11:02Evening, Speaker. The motion is withdraw.

08:11:06You're withdrawing the motion. Thank you so much.

08:11:12We move to the third motion and that is a motion of a vote of no confidence against Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Governance and that's Councillor Lubabalo Magwentshu.

08:11:28Colleagues! I... Colleagues! Are you all proposers? The proposer is Councillor P Sindani. Councillor Sindani?

08:11:51Councillor Sindani is not here. The seconder is Councillor P Shange. The motion falls off. The councillors are both not here. Next.

08:12:09We move to the fourth motion and that is a motion of a vote of no confidence against the Chairperson of the Section 79 Oversight Committee on Human Settlement, Councillor Moloko Mpolobosho.

08:12:22The proposer...

08:12:32Colleagues. Councillors. Councillors, I can stay here the whole night. I don't have someone to go home to.

08:12:48I have an ice-cold bed, so I don't go to anybody. I don't have children either. So can we be given the chance to talk? The proposer is Councillor Moeti and the seconder is Councillor Mhlari.

08:13:15Thank you, Speaker. All protocol observed. I stand to withdraw the motion against... the motion of no confidence against Councillor Mpolobosho. Thank you.

08:13:26Thank you so much, Councillor Mhlari. We are done with those motions. Are we going to the next one?

Motion to rename Wolmarans Street; EFF caucus and deferral

08:13:35We are now on the last motion and that is a motion for renaming Wolmarans Street to Dr Izwilezwe Radebe.

08:13:44The proposer is Councillor Z... Councillor Y Zigebe. Councillor Zigebe?

08:14:00Yes, before you speak, Councillor Zigebe, MMC Tshwaku, your hand was up?

08:14:08No, thank you very much, Speaker. We'd like EFF a caucus just for five minutes. Five minutes caucus, five minutes. Please.

08:14:17No, it's fine, I have no one to go home to. Five minutes.

08:14:21Five minutes.

08:14:22Five minutes.

08:14:24Yeah, five minutes, Speaker.

08:21:47...plans have not been made for those of us who keep kosher. I wonder if I might ask that we be presented with a voucher of apologies at our next council meeting. Thank you.

08:22:01Councillor, maybe the councillor went out and the koshers were finished because there was kosher and there was halaal and maybe the councillor went out and it was finished, but I will find out. We will find out and we'll speak to the councillor.

08:22:21Thank you, Speaker.

08:22:22We don't have vouchers, but we will find out and tell the councillor what happened. Okay, can we now go to the item? The proposer was on his feet. Proposer.

08:22:40Good evening, Speaker. Speaker, I would request that the item be deferred to the next council meeting, if that's allowed. Thank you.

08:22:52isiXhosaUbothula ke Mmbengwa because ndizakuphendula. Ndizakuphendula.

08:23:00Councillors, the item... he has asked that we defer the item.

08:23:01isiXhosaHayi ngoku angakulinge kaloku. Hayi ungakulinge kaloku. Andizukuba lixhoba lakho mna. Ungakulinge. Akufuneki uzenze inkwenkwe apha kum. Awu!

08:23:07No, councillors! Councillors, don't do that!

08:23:28Councillors. Councillors, you are live on Facebook all over. And you call yourself public servants and you are doing what you are doing. I don't think we're supposed to do that. But colleagues, we are onto the next item, STC.

Announcements and close

08:23:54We now move to announcements.

08:23:58Colleagues, the only announcement that we are going to say is that we gave you our legal opinion that we will have a special council sitting for those items, so you will be getting a notice of a special council sitting. We are not certain which day, but we will send it out to you. Thank you so much for being here. Bye.

08:24:36No, no, no, the letter...