Pressure mounts for Gwamanda to be removed as Joburg Mayor

Civic organisations mobilised in Johannesburg at the weekend calling for the removal of Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda. Photo: Silver Sibiya

• Civic organisations mobilised at the weekend against Joburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, with hundreds of protesters in Braamfontein calling for him to go.
• The organisations say he must be held responsible for crumbling infrastructure, unreliable water supply and high electricity tariffs.
• Johannesburg City Council Speaker Margaret Arnolds accepted their memorandum and promised to respond within 30 days.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Braamfontein on Saturday calling for the removal of Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.

The protest was organised by civic organisations including Joburg Crisis Alliance, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) Ahmad Kathrada Foundation, and Defend our Democracy. Crumbling infrastructure, unreliable water supply, and high electricity tariffs are some of the issues they raised in a memorandum delivered to the City of Johannesburg.

“We are here fundamentally to place accountability where it should be and that is the Executive Mayor and Executive Committee because we think the buck must stop with them,” said Nishan Bolton, executive director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

“Communities are tired of taking issues to officials way down the line when they didn’t vote for those officials. We are placing accountability on those who were elected. They have the responsibility to govern and govern well.”

“The current mayor and the mayoral committee are not up to the task of governing this city which is the heartbeat of the economy of South Africa and has a budget that is bigger than many African countries.”

He also dismissed assertions that Gwamanda took over a city that was already in a state of collapse.

“The position of an Executive Mayor is a powerful one, and if you accept that (position) you must accept whatever you inherit, there is no excuse.”

Referring to City Power’s planned additional R200 basic charge for electricity, Bolton said the mayor had reacted to criticism with contempt and had not shown leadership. “To call those who oppose the electricity charge, stooges, is just despicable. To make himself a victim of race to say that he is being picked on because, in his own words, he is a ‘boy from Soweto’ is not the leadership that one would expect in this position.”

Rivonia Circle Director Tessa Dooms said Gwamanda had failed the residents of Joburg.

“Our city is falling apart, people are unable to get basic services. We need services for all, a better city for all. The leadership of the city needs to stand up because we cannot continue like this.” She said all 270 councillors must also be held accountable for sitting back while the executive fails.

Ennerdale Risselle Davids said high electricity costs and unreliable water in her community were her major concern.

“We do want to pay for electricity but it’s too expensive, it would be better if we were to get a flat rate,” she said

On water, she said sometimes there was no water for four days.

City council Speaker Margaret Arnolds accepted the memorandum. She promised to respond within 30 days.

Gwamanda’s spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase could not be reached for comment.

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