Joburg Crisis Alliance ups call for Gwamanda’s removal
The Joburg Crisis Alliance has amplified its call for Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, and his entire mayoral committee, to resign.
Speaking at a press briefing at Constitutional Hill on Thursday various civic organisations under the alliance lamented deteriorating infrastructure, poor service delivery, maladministration, and corruption as just some of the consequences of poor leadership in the metro.
The JCA has called on residents to join them on Saturday for a demonstration outside the Metro Centre in Braamfontein.
Reading from their statement, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Neeshan Balton listed some of their demands: “The resignation of the Executive Mayor and the Mayoral Committee; a review of the recent pre-paid electricity tariffs; an end to unplanned water cuts and emergency water provision to under-serviced communities; an end to unplanned electricity load reduction; decisive and consistent measures in combatting corruption and protecting whistle-blowers; and investigators; and open, transparent and proper consultation with civil society, business and labour in the governance of the city.”
Despite recent revelations that the African National Congress (ANC), which helped put Gwamanda into the Mayoral seat, the alliance is adamant calls for Gwamanda’s removal are not politically motivated.
Tessa Dooms from Rivonia Circle, one of six organizations planning the demonstration under the alliance, says they are not campaigning for any successor from any of the political parties.
“They [councillors] have all the power to choose the best person amongst them, and the best mayco to lead. They can make rational decisions based on people’s actual competence, and they can make a case to us as residents that these people are the best people to lead.
“But either way the point is that if those people don’t lead, even if someone else comes in, our job is to mete out political consequences. There must be political consequences.”
NO POLITICAL WILL
Alliance says it is yet to hear from President Cyril Ramaphosa after it wrote to him to raise concern over the state of governance and service delivery in the country's economic hub.
While the ANC in the province is said to be in talks with opposition party Action SA to seal Gwamanda's removal, there’s been little comment from the ANC-led provincial government.
READ MORE: ActionSA demands axing of Joburg mayor as condition for ANC partnership
Dooms says there seems to be little political will from the national and provincial governments to intervene.
“Section 139 gives power to province and to national to dissolve council if that council is not effective or in financial dire straits. Why the provincial government has been quiet; we would like answers to that. We wrote to the president because we believe that if the President cares about municipalities like he said in his address last week that he will use the powers that are vested at national level to do something about the City of Johannesburg.”
As the presser was underway the metro’s council voted in favour of the approval of a R2.5 billion loan from the French Development Agency.
In a statement, Gwamanda’s office said the loan was critical towards investment in key infrastructure projects water, sanitation, and electricity.
The Mayor is quoted as saying: “Whilst the City continues to enhance revenue collection and management, it also requires additional funding for capital projects which are intended to cater for the city’s growing population, economic activity, and development.”
Meanwhile, speaking to the SABC moments after council approved the loan Gwamanda says they are aware the service delivery challenges in the city were among the reasons given for the pressure on him to vacate office, but adds that his administration inherited the problems.
“Our water and electricity infrastructure has been a challenge, and we are working in collaboration with Rand Water, we are having planned maintenance and of course, the current state of infrastructure would result in the delayed restoration of these services; however, it’s all intending to resolve historical challenges in the city.
“And if you take a closer look at our record, I am sure it tells a very different story to what this administration is being blamed for.”
Gwamanda has said those who are calling for his removal are doing so to sabotage his progress.
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