The new City of Joburg Mayor Mpho Moerane has vowed to serve the people of Joburg for the sake of his predecessors Geoff Makhubo and Jolidee Matongo.
Moerane said Makhubo and Matongo had prior to their deaths sought to serve the people of Joburg with dignity and to provide them with services without fail.
In his acceptance speech following his election in the council chambers yesterday, Moerane said he would carry on with the mayoral committee members appointed during the tenures of his predecessors.
Moerane made the appointments moments after he was elected in the council chambers in a vote of confidence supported by the ANC’s coalition partners of the IFP, UDM, AIC, Cope and Al Jamah.
“I duly accept the vote of confidence to lead the Constitutionally prescribed socio-economic development agenda in Johannesburg within the multi-party Government of Local Unity – the GLU.
“In the interest of cementing continuity of accelerated service delivery in our city, I have 10-member nominees who are ready to serve the people of Johannesburg as the Mayoral Committee.
“Nine of the nominees will be returning to the Committee in their respective portfolios - with the exception of the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department nominee, Councillor Tania Oldjohn, who is the chairperson of the Section 79 Committee.
“This means Matshidiso Mfikoe is nominated to return to Finance, Thomas Mofokeng to Economic Development, Mlungisi Mabaso to Housing, and Helen Makhuba to Transport.
“Meanwhile, Eunice Mgcina returns to Health and Social Development, Mally Mokoena to Public Safety, Loyiso Masuku to Group Corporate Shared Services and Thapelo Amad is nominated to go back to Development Planning,” he said.
Margaret Arnolds also retained her MMC for Community Development position.
“The decision to keep the MMCs who took office under the leadership of the late Mayor Geoff Makhubo in December 2019 is meant to ensure continuity in the implementation of the people centred government of local unity priorities.
“These are priorities informed by the expressed interests of Johannesburg residents and articulated in the Joburg Growth and Development Strategy 2040,” Moerane said.
Paying tribute to his predecessors, Makhubo and Matongo who died in a horrific car crash last month, Moerane said: “In his 4th of May 2021 State of the City Address, Mayor Makhubo committed to rebuild and transform Johannesburg into a thriving City that we all aspire it to be.
He said Matongo hit the ground running together with his MMCs, as well as heads of departments and entities through the heightened version of the Accelerated Service Delivery Programme from the first week in office.
“We visited mini substations that had either blown up due to illegal connections pressure or were vandalised resulting in the prolonged power cuts as Eskom had run out of mini substations to replace them,” Moerane remembered.
He said Matongo subscribed to Charlotte Maxeke’s principles of being an effective public servant that “this work is not for yourself, kill that spirit of self and do not live above your people, but live with them, and if you can rise, bring someone with you”.
“These are the same principles that we all commit to follow in service of the people of Johannesburg and in honour of our fallen mayors,” Moerane said.
Political Bureau