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Said in Council

Thursday, 27 August 2026 · 3 h 18 min · 1 video · 2021–2026 council

39th Ordinary Council Meeting, Day 2

AI draft.Written by AI from the livestream and not yet checked by a person. Use the timestamps to check anything before you quote it.

The day at a glance · 24 chapters over 198 minutes: governance and appointments 77 min, services, housing and development 59 min, procedure 35 min, budget and finances 20 min, other business (no topic tag) 7 min; 15 decisions. Each block is a chapter, as wide as its time, coloured by its strongest AI topic tag; click one to jump to it.
00:00:10 Quorum check and apologies00:09:18 Oral questions: Florence Nightingale building evacuation00:13:50 Oral question: untarred roads00:16:45 Oral question: New Turffontein Clinic00:24:06 Executive Mayor's Question Time postponed00:25:12 Elevation of items and order of business00:27:50 Item 32: Public Participation Policy review00:42:25 Item 33: 2027/28 IDP, Budget and Performance Time Schedule01:02:39 Item 34: Employment Equity Policy Framework stopped01:05:25 Item 35: Academy for Chartered Accountants training policy01:20:00 Item 36: HIV/AIDS conditional grant (R35.178 million)01:43:43 Quorum count01:49:09 Item 39: Secondment for vacant senior management positions01:56:26 Reordering of remaining items01:58:07 Item 41: Recruitment for Group Head: Group Strategy02:05:44 Item 29: Irregular expenditure recovery and regularisation (August 2026)02:25:27 Quorum dispute and plan to adjourn02:32:01 Item 46: Councillor Funeral Support Policy tabled; DA and FF+ concerns02:39:07 Item 46: EFF and UDM support02:48:40 Rule 72 points of order on item 4602:49:24 Item 46: ANC support and closing03:03:03 Second quorum count and Rule 58.1 dispute03:14:04 Item 46 outcome and DA objection03:15:06 Item 40 suspended and meeting adjourned
▼‖
  • Governance and appointments
  • Budget and finances
  • Services, housing and development
  • Other business (no topic tag)
  • Procedure: roll call, apologies, breaks
  • Decision (15)
  • ▼Walkout (1)
  • ‖Adjourned or paused (1)

Chapters, decisions and procedure are AI drafts from the livestream; topic tags are AI judgments (a chapter with several shows its strongest). Services, housing and development covers water, electricity, roads, housing, waste, safety, health, planning and community facilities.

Summary

Also in: isiZulu · Sesotho · Afrikaans

Day 2 of the 39th Ordinary Council Meeting was adjourned with its agenda unfinished after EFF and DA councillors left, the quorum was lost and item 40, the Petitions Policy review, was suspended. 03:15:06 The Executive Mayor's Question Time was held over because he was not in the house, and it had still not been taken when the meeting adjourned. 00:24:06

Council agreed to items 32, 33, 35, 36, 39 and 41, among them the Public Participation Policy review, a R35.178 million HIV/AIDS conditional grant and recruitment for the Group Head: Group Strategy. 00:27:50 00:42:25 01:05:25 01:20:00 01:49:09 01:58:07 Item 29, MPAC's motivation to recover R2.2 billion in irregular expenditure and certify R420.1 million as irrecoverable, was agreed after ACDP, FF+ and the DA criticised weak consequence management. 02:05:44 02:25:27 02:32:01

The Councillor Funeral Support Policy was declared approved after a disputed quorum count of 139, with Cllr Christians arguing that Rule 58.1 required counting before the bell was rung. 03:03:03 03:14:04 The Speaker maintained her procedure was correct, and the DA's opposition to item 46 was recorded at its request under rule 84. 03:14:04

The MMC for Development Planning committed to completing the New Turffontein Clinic by the end of September, October at the latest, saying R29.4 million had been spent. 00:16:45 On untarred roads, the Deputy Executive Mayor said just under R40 million was available and that JRA would ask for more money in the December adjustment budget. 00:13:50

AI draft from the record of this sitting (Claude Opus 5.5), checked against the chapters; every sentence links to the moment. Report an error

This week in council: Johannesburg council, week of 24 August 2026

In brief

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01

Chapters

24

What was discussed, in order. Click a time to watch.

  1. 00:00:10

    Quorum check and apologies

    The Speaker had councillors counted and confirmed a quorum of 147. Caucus representatives then read in apologies, late arrivals and early departures, including the Executive Mayor arriving late and the Deputy Executive Mayor leaving at 15:30. The Speaker asked that the apologies be noted.

    ArnoldsAICLouwDAHarrisACDP

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  2. 00:09:18

    Oral questions: Florence Nightingale building evacuation

    A DA question was withdrawn because the Nowana Clinic issue had been resolved. Cllr Nkonyeni asked when the evacuation of the Florence Nightingale building in Hillbrow would be finalised. The responding MMC said the evacuation order was granted but alternative accommodation was the obstacle, with the building third on the list.

    NkonyeniActionSA1 unidentified

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  3. 00:13:50

    Oral question: untarred roads

    A DA councillor asked about the plan, budget and timeline for upgrading about 1,040 km of untarred roads. The Deputy Executive Mayor replied that just under R40 million is available for the gravel roads programme and no specific President Park programme exists. JRA would ask for more money in the December adjustment budget.

    MasukuANC

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  4. 00:16:45

    Oral question: New Turffontein Clinic

    Cllr Modukanene asked why the reported completion percentage moved from 71% to 55% to 75%, and about spend, budget and completion. The MMC for Development Planning said the drop came from the replacement contractor being measured from a new baseline. R29.4 million had been spent, the approved budget is R30 million against an actual R45 million, and completion was committed for end of September.

    ModukaneneActionSA1 unidentified

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  5. 00:24:06

    Executive Mayor's Question Time postponed

    The Speaker said the Executive Mayor was not in the house and wanted to respond personally. Question time was held over until he arrived, and the house moved on.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  6. 00:25:12

    Elevation of items and order of business

    The Deputy Executive Mayor asked to elevate items 32, 33, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44, and the Chair of Chairs asked for item 46. The house agreed to take items 32 to 44 and then item 46.

    MasukuANC

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  7. 00:27:50

    Item 32: Public Participation Policy review

    The acting member in charge tabled the reviewed policy. ACDP, FF+ and EFF supported or noted it, while the ANC speaker used the debate for election-campaign attacks on the DA and ActionSA. The item was agreed to.

    NkubunguANCMkhonzaACDPBoerFF+MzoloANC

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  8. 00:42:25

    Item 33: 2027/28 IDP, Budget and Performance Time Schedule

    ACDP approved the schedule. The DA's Cllr Christians criticised it as tick-box compliance and said Community-Based Planning is squeezed into too short a period. The EFF supported it but warned of risks from the 4 November election. The Deputy Executive Mayor said the process is legislated and manageable after the election, and the item was agreed.

    MkhonzaACDPChristiansDARadebeEFFMasukuANC

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  9. 01:02:39

    Item 34: Employment Equity Policy Framework stopped

    Cllr Harris began speaking on the Revised Group Employment Equity Policy Framework. The Speaker stopped him because the item had not been elevated and moved on to item 35.

    HarrisACDP

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  10. 01:05:25

    Item 35: Academy for Chartered Accountants training policy

    ACDP noted the report, the DA questioned the value of the Academy, and the EFF opposed the item citing governance and transformation concerns. The Deputy Executive Mayor undertook to supply the information requested and said the policy follows SAICA guidance. The item was agreed.

    HarrisACDPAndrew MaraisDAMasukuANC1 unidentified

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  11. 01:20:00

    Item 36: HIV/AIDS conditional grant (R35.178 million)

    Parties debated acceptance of the Gauteng Provincial Treasury grant for the Jozi Ihlomile door-to-door programme. ACDP asked for monthly reports and a breakdown of previous spending. UDM, ActionSA, EFF and ANC supported it. MMC Makhafola said Zola Clinic is provincial and the matter would be escalated. The item was agreed.

    MkhonzaACDPZigebeUDMMposulaActionSAMakhafolaEFF1 unidentified

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  12. 01:43:43

    Quorum count

    The Speaker had councillors counted after some had left the chamber and warned about members walking in and out. The count found 151 present and the house moved on.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  13. 01:49:09

    Item 39: Secondment for vacant senior management positions

    The DA noted the report but asked that no recruitment appointments be made until after the elections, and objected to a suspended official heading Public Safety. An ANC councillor supported the secondments. The Deputy Executive Mayor asked for approval and the item was agreed.

    FoleyDAMasukuANC1 unidentified

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  14. 01:56:26

    Reordering of remaining items

    At the executive's request, item 41 was taken next so the EFF and DA could leave after 15:00. The Chair of Chairs asked that item 29 be added, and the order agreed was items 41, 29 and 46.

    MasukuANC

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  15. 01:58:07

    Item 41: Recruitment for Group Head: Group Strategy

    The DA noted the report and questioned the reasons for the incumbent's resignation. It asked that no appointment be made until after the elections. An ANC councillor and the Leader of Executive Business defended starting recruitment and thanked the departing head after 18 years. The item was agreed.

    FoleyDAMasukuANC1 unidentified

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  16. 02:05:44

    Item 29: Irregular expenditure recovery and regularisation (August 2026)

    MPAC's motivation to recover R2.2 billion and certify R420.1 million as irrecoverable was debated. ACDP, FF+ and the DA criticised vague information and weak consequence management, and ActionSA backed the recommendations while pressing for accountability. The acting member in charge closed and the item was agreed.

    HarrisACDPBoerFF+SuddabyDAModukaneneActionSA1 unidentified

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  17. 02:25:27

    Quorum dispute and plan to adjourn

    A councillor asked for a quorum check. The Speaker said she intended to finish item 46, close, and have the whips arrange a further September meeting. After a long count, 138 councillors were recorded as present, and item 29 was confirmed agreed.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  18. 02:32:01

    Item 46: Councillor Funeral Support Policy tabled; DA and FF+ concerns

    Cllr Nkubungu tabled the policy as a lawful replacement for the funeral policy rescinded for MFMA non-compliance. Cllr Christians said legal gave conflicting views and the policy was not properly circulated, so the DA could not support it without clarity. Cllr De Lange also commented.

    NkubunguANCDe LangeFF+ChristiansDA

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  19. 02:39:07

    Item 46: EFF and UDM support

    The EFF and UDM supported the policy, stressing dignity for councillors' families and compliance with the MFMA. UDM proposed fixing the MFMA reference and recording waived tariffs. UDM said the draft had been posted on the councillors' WhatsApp group, which Cllr Christians disputed.

    ZigebeUDM1 unidentified

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  20. 02:48:40

    Rule 72 points of order on item 46

    Cllr Christians rose on Rule 72 to say no policy had been posted on the group, and later to say the DA never said it opposed the policy. The DA also objected to a remark about how many councillors each party had lost. The Speaker mediated.

    ChristiansDA

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  21. 02:49:24

    Item 46: ANC support and closing

    An ANC councillor spoke in support, mixing in campaign attacks on the DA, and said the ANC had lost more than seven councillors. The acting member in charge closed, regretting that a proposed broker scheme of up to R100,000 had been removed and hoping the next council would restore it.

    NgwenyaANCNkubunguANC

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  22. 03:03:03

    Second quorum count and Rule 58.1 dispute

    Cllr Avant-Smith said only 111 were in the chamber, and a count and bell-ringing followed, with 139 recorded. Cllr Christians said Rule 58.1 required counting before ringing the bell. The Speaker defended her procedure and said challengers could take her to Rules.

    Avant-SmithChristiansDAArnoldsAIC

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  23. 03:14:04

    Item 46 outcome and DA objection

    The Speaker declared item 46 approved. Cllr Christians asked under rule 84 that the DA's opposition to the item be recorded, and the Speaker noted it. Cllr Nkonyeni's pending question was left for later.

    ChristiansDANkonyeniActionSA

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  24. 03:15:06

    Item 40 suspended and meeting adjourned

    Item 40, the review of the Petitions Policy, was read in but suspended when six councillors left and the meeting lost its quorum. The Speaker adjourned the meeting, said it would reconvene face to face, and asked the Chief Whip to convene the whips. An imbizo for the next day was announced.

    MabukeANCArnoldsAIC

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02

Questions to the executive

3

Did the Mayor or MMC answer what was asked?

  • Partly answered

    Item 3A: questions for oral reply

    Asked by Nkonyeni00:11:13Answered by the executive00:12:34

  • Partly answered

    Item 3A: questions for oral reply

    Asked by Ncube00:13:50Answered by the executive00:14:40

  • Answeredcommits to an action, date or amount

    Item 3A: questions for oral reply

    Asked by Modukanene00:17:00Answered by MMC for Development Planning00:19:24

Verdicts are AI judgments (Jev, by TypeSafe). Tap or hover one for the probabilities, and listen to both before relying on it. Report an error

03

Promises

6

Commitments with a date, an amount or a 'we will'.

On 4 November 2026 (when this page was built): 1 overdue, 0 due in the next 30 days, 3 with no date. Overdue first; dates are AI readings of what was said; tap or hover a label for how. All promises.

04

Decisions

15

What council approved, rejected or put off.

  • 00:09:07

    Applications for leave of absenceapproved

    The Speaker asked whether the apologies were noted and moved on.

  • 00:10:47

    DA oral question on Nowana Clinicwithdrawn

    The DA councillor withdrew the question because the clinic issue had been resolved.

  • 00:24:20

    Executive Mayor's Question Timedeferred

    Held over until the Executive Mayor arrived; it had still not been taken when the meeting adjourned.

  • 00:27:39

    Elevation of items 32-44 and 46approved

    The house agreed to take items 32 to 44 first and then item 46, with item 29 added later.

  • 00:42:11

    Item 32: Review of the Public Participation Policyapproved

    The recommendations on page 32.13 were agreed to.

  • 01:02:30

    Item 33: 2027/28 IDP, Budget, Performance Monitoring and Reporting Time Scheduleapproved

    The recommendations on page 33.7 were agreed to.

  • 01:04:53

    Item 34: Revised Group Employment Equity Policy Frameworkdeferred

    The item was not discussed to conclusion because it had not been elevated.

  • 01:19:46

    Item 35: Academy for Chartered Accountants training program policyapproved

    The recommendations on page 35.25 were agreed to, despite EFF opposition in debate.

  • 01:43:12

    Item 36: Acceptance of the HIV/AIDS conditional grantapproved

    The recommendations on page 36.5 were agreed to.

  • 01:56:09

    Item 39: Secondment for vacant senior management positionsapproved

    The recommendations on page 39.8 were agreed to.

  • 02:05:26

    Item 41: Commencement of recruitment for Group Head: Group Strategyapproved

    The recommendations on pages 41.5 to 41.6 were agreed to.

  • 02:32:51

    Item 29: Recover or certify as irrecoverable irregular expenditure, August 2026approved

    The recommendations on page 29.3 were agreed to.

  • 03:14:25

    Item 46: Councillor Funeral Support Policyapproved with objection recorded

    The item was declared approved and the DA's opposition was recorded at its request under rule 84.

  • 03:15:30

    Item 40: Review of the Petitions Policydeferred

    The item was suspended when the meeting lost its quorum and left for a later sitting.

  • 03:16:33

    39th Ordinary Council Meetingadjourned

    The Speaker adjourned the meeting with the agenda unfinished, to reconvene later.

05

Attendance and conduct

88

Who was away and why, as said in the chamber.

Apologies read out 50

Party business (13)
Mpolobosho, M. Mokoena, Ponsonby, Kunene, Dewes, Rambani, Koma, Themba Mabunda, Mokoka, Edward, Chuma, Mabelebele, Mhlongo
Private business (1)
Pelzer
Ill health (8)
Mphefo, Horwitz, Reddy, Dladla, Peter Ndou, Raphadu, Ramafikeng, Tabane
Leaving early (23)
Benjamin, Van Onselen, Christians, Da Gama, De Kock, Hooper, Kamela, Louw, Kreusch, Maila, Mohamed, Ncube, Papo, Ramaru, Sifumba, Suddaby, Wax, Huggett, Makhafola, Ntombela, Makaula, Mgcina, Masuku*
Family responsibility (1)
Mogapi
Other reason (1)
Mabaso
Official duty (1)
Nzimande
Arriving late (2)
Morero, Shange

* Name as heard; not matched to exactly one councillor.

Not present when called 6

  • 00:09:29

    Unnamed councillor: DA councillor called for an oral question was not present; name not on the councillor list.

  • 00:34:19

    G. Mokoena: EFF speaker not present; another EFF councillor spoke on her behalf.

  • 00:57:25

    T. Mokoena*: ANC speaker on item 33 not present.

  • 01:18:40

    Mokoena*: ANC speaker on item 35 not present.

  • 02:00:44

    Mabelebele: Speaker on item 41 not present.

  • 02:23:51

    Unnamed councillor: Speaker on item 29 not present; name not matched to the councillor list.

MMC or Mayor not present for their business 4

  • 00:11:13

    MMC for Human Settlements absent for the question; leader of executive business replied.

  • 00:24:20

    Morero: Executive Mayor absent for Executive Mayor's Question Time.

  • 00:28:43

    Member in charge of the committee for item 32 not present; an acting member tabled it.

  • 02:06:39

    Chair of MPAC not present for item 29; another member presented the item.

Sound or equipment problem 3

  • 01:36:02

    Chair asked ANC speaker to speak into the microphone.

  • 02:18:54

    Chair asked the next speaker to switch on the microphone.

  • 02:45:08

    Mabunda*: Chair asked a councillor to switch off a microphone.

Warned or stopped by the chair 25

  • 00:40:44

    Chair called for quiet during the acting member's reply.

  • 00:52:44

    Time warning to the DA speaker on item 33.

  • 01:04:53

    Harris: Chair stopped his speech because item 34 had not been elevated.

  • 01:12:43

    Chair stopped the speaker to deal with noise from councillors.

  • 01:18:02

    Time warning to the EFF speaker on item 35.

  • 01:20:51

    Chair asked members to stop making noise during the ACDP speech.

  • 01:22:57

    Time warning to the ACDP speaker on item 36.

  • 01:23:44

    Chair told councillors to stop changing seat names and stay in their seats.

  • 01:27:09

    Time warning to the UDM speaker on item 36.

  • 01:41:53

    Mposula: Chair told him and others to keep quiet while the MMC replied.

  • 01:45:54

    Chair rebuked councillors walking in during the quorum count.

  • 01:50:36

    Foley: Chair interrupted his speech on item 39.

  • 01:53:08

    Time reminder to the speaker on item 39.

  • 01:59:39

    Chair called for order during a DA speech on item 41.

  • 02:23:10

    Time warning to the ActionSA speaker on item 29.

  • 02:29:10

    Karolia: Chair asked him to sit during the quorum count.

  • 02:34:22

    Chair called three councillors to order during the item 46 tabling.

  • 02:44:01

    Time warning to the EFF speaker on item 46.

  • 02:47:41

    Time warning to the UDM speaker on item 46.

  • 02:48:27

    Chair stopped the UDM speaker at the end of his time.

  • 02:53:07

    Chair stopped the ANC speaker after a DA objection.

  • 02:57:29

    Chair urged the speaker to finish.

  • 03:04:15

    Chair asked DA councillors at the door to come in and sit before the count.

  • 03:11:44

    Chair asked members to stop making noise.

  • 03:15:30

    Mabuke: Chair stopped his tabling of item 40 because quorum was lost.

06

Transcript

586

Every line, linked to the video.