Council elects Makhuba, Cook and Ngoepe as chairs; reviewed 2018 Land Use Scheme approved

Day 1: chair elections, reports and Ethics referral

At the 33rd Ordinary Council Meeting, Day 1, on 29 September 2025, Cllr Helen Makhuba (IFP) was elected Public Safety committee chairperson with 130 votes, against 68 for Cllr Maila (DA), with 27 abstentions. 29 Sept 01:06:16 Cllr Cook was elected Finance Committee chairperson with 132 votes against 68 for Cllr Santana (DA), with 27 abstentions. 29 Sept 01:23:16 Cllr Ngoepe (ANC) was elected Environment and Infrastructure Services Committee chairperson with 132 votes against 68 for Cllr Meyers (DA), with 27 abstentions. 29 Sept 01:34:22 During the Finance Committee chair vote, the Speaker rejected an objection and kept abstentions counted per candidate, saying legal advice agreed. 29 Sept 01:23:16

On 29 September, council also agreed performance and oversight reports for Community Development, Development Planning, Economic Development, Health and Social Development, and Human Settlements and JOSHCO. 29 Sept 02:37:43 29 Sept 04:18:45 29 Sept 05:05:05 29 Sept 05:47:47 29 Sept 06:23:10 On Day 1, Cllr Campbell-Cloete (DA) quoted trending hashtags in a speech on the Group Communications and Marketing report, including one using the word 'voetsek' about the Executive Mayor. 29 Sept 06:57:07 After the break, the chair ruled that the councillor whose speech caused the disorder would be referred to the Ethics committee, and adjourned council with Items 19 and 20 unfinished. 29 Sept 07:26:25

Day 2: quorum, decisions and City Manager report

At the 33rd Ordinary Council Meeting, Day 2, on 30 September 2025, Cllr Christians (DA) asked for a quorum check, and legal advisors later reported 159 councillors present. 30 Sept 00:06:47 Council approved Item 46, the reviewed City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme 2018, when the Speaker ruled that the yeses had it; the DA recorded its opposition under Rule 84. 30 Sept 05:48:09 Cllr Schay said the DA does not reject a new land use scheme but cannot support the reviewed scheme now. 30 Sept 05:18:38

Item 63, certifying irregular and unauthorized expenditure as irrecoverable, was declared agreed, and the ACDP recorded its dissent under Rule 84. 30 Sept 06:54:27 30 Sept 06:57:39 Cllr Xulu said ActionSA supported Item 63 with anger, citing about R845 million: R312 million irregular and R533 million unauthorized. 30 Sept 06:13:17 Items 35 and 41 were withdrawn from the agenda at the executive's request. 30 Sept 02:07:25 Item 64 on community-based planning was noted, and the DA recorded its dissent under Rule 84. 30 Sept 07:19:41

On 30 September, Items 19 and 20, the Office of the City Manager performance report and the Governance oversight report, were agreed. 30 Sept 00:54:00 Cllr Magwentshu (ATM), member in charge of Items 19 and 20, said all parties agreed a City Manager must be appointed and urged the Executive Mayor to finalise the process. 30 Sept 00:54:00 For Item 66, a report on progress to recruit the City Manager, a councillor asked under Rule 88 that the matter be dealt with in committee. 30 Sept 07:55:12 The Speaker then asked for the gallery to be cleared and live streaming stopped for Item 66. 30 Sept 07:55:12

Promises from MMCs and the Speaker

MMC Mabaso said Johannesburg Water had procured a contractor for sewer spillages at Helen Joseph Hostel, and said he would go to the hostel before the end of the week. 29 Sept 06:23:10 promise MMC Nkokou said the department would look into councillors' recommendations on the Community Development reports and get back to them in writing. 29 Sept 02:34:53 promise MMC Mgcina said suspended Development Planning projects would be attended to as soon as budget is available. 29 Sept 04:11:45 promise

The Speaker committed to bringing to the next meeting how Cllr Echeozonjoku's refusal to withdraw remarks, after Cllr Mofokeng asked her to, would be dealt with. promise 29 Sept 01:47:19 MMC Masuku committed that supplementary documentation requested by the Section 79 committee on supply chain deviations would be made available. 30 Sept 03:00:06 promise On 30 September, the Speaker said she would take to Ethics a councillor who allegedly played a recording and boasted of sabotage, and make it public in announcements. 30 Sept 07:08:04 promise

An automated check linked the 29 September City Manager debate to a 17 January 2025 promise by MMC Masuku to bring a report on appointing a permanent City Manager, rating it late or dropped. earlier promise On 30 September, automated checks rated MMC Masuku's 17 January 2025 City Manager report promise late or dropped at one point and in progress at others. earlier promise earlier promise earlier promise