Transcript: 44th Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting

Opening and call to order

00:00:48Councillors, can we start our meeting? There's a lot of noise. Thank you.

00:01:03Uh, good morning, councillors. It is hereby notified that the 44th extraordinary council meeting of the City of Johannesburg Municipality will be held on Thursday, the 23rd of October 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at Constance Connie Bapela Council Chamber in Braamfontein. And the first item on the agenda is opening.

00:01:24Thank you so much and once again, good morning to all the Councillor Christians, we haven't started. Can I hear you?

00:01:39Councillors on my right hand side, can we move in with our legs, our feet, and not our mouths?

00:01:49Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, uh once we the it's announced opening, that means we are about to start. I'd just like to bring your attention in terms of the rules that we do not have a quorum in the house to open. Thank you.

00:02:02Councillor Christians, Councillor Christians, yourself and myself sat in rules a few days ago, and we're going to do exactly what rules has dictated to us to do. We are going to do that, so please, please allow me to do what I have to do. I thank you.

Welcome, purpose of the meeting and membership changes

00:02:30Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg in absentia, Councillor Sello Dada Morero. Whip of Council, Councillor Kazamula Chauke. Chair of Chairs, Councillor Vuhani Marema, all political party leaders and whips. Members of the Mayoral Committee, those in absentia. Acting City Manager, Mr. Kiba Kekana,

00:02:58Kekana. All Section 79 Committee Chairpersons, Secretary to Council, Mr. Andile Gobinca, Officials of the City of Johannesburg. Most importantly, residents of the City of Johannesburg, members of the media present, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to the 44th extraordinary Council meeting of the City of Johannesburg Municipality.

00:03:28Councillors, please note that the executive requested my office to convene this extraordinary Council meeting to consider a report on the recruitment and appointment process of the City Manager position. And I've acceded to the request in accordance with Rule 16 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council. I also want to give congratulations

00:03:56to the Patriotic Alliance for winning Ward 29 by-elections. Councillors, please join me in welcoming the newly elected Ward Councillor of Ward 29, Councillor Ishmael Steenkamp of the Patriotic Alliance. Furthermore, please inform Please be informed that Action SA membership of the following PR Councillors

00:04:24has ceased consequently ending their tenure as Councillors in the City of Johannesburg. Councillor Elmari Atterbury, Councillor Edward Ntshidi, Councillor Nicolene Johnson, Councillor Esme Liebenberg, Councillor Delano Coverdale, Councillor Ayanda Mchunu, Councillor Zaeed Jainoodeen, and Councillor Paul Nefdt. We wish them all the best in their new endeavors.

Quorum count

00:04:53The new Action SA PR Councillors in this regard will be sworn in and introduced to Council in due course. Councillor Christians and all Councillors, we will now have a count of all warm bodies in the chamber. So I ask you

00:05:20to all be seated, because if you walk out, you won't be counted. So if we can be seated, so that we count you, so that we can see whether we have a quorum, and then later on during the day, we will tell you Councillors that have registered. So if you are outside, you won't be counted. So please sit down

00:05:51so that you can be counted. Protocol and legal, can you please count those that are seated on the seats? I thank you.

00:06:16Can I ask legal to start doing the counting, please?

00:06:44If you are not on your seat and they are counting, you are not counted. So please be seated. We started at 10:00.

00:10:19Councillors, can we please be seated?

00:10:30We are 172 inside of the chamber. And also ensure that you have signed the register because we'll do that exercise. The last plea on this, I'm asking all councillors that are part of the rules committee to ensure that when we come to council, they are the first ones to be seated.

00:11:00Can we agree to that? Thank you.

Applications for leave of absence

00:11:09We now proceed to applications for leave of absence.

00:11:13Thank you, colleagues. Before I take hands for leave of absence, I start off by those that have written to us. We have MMC Kunene on late arrival. We have Councillor Ponsonby due to urgent private business. Councillor Jacobs due to urgent private business. Councillor Hoon

00:11:41due to urgent private business. Councillor Roberts due to urgent private business. Councillor Masuku will arrive at 11:00 a.m. And Councillor Mkhonza from the ACDP is also due to private business. Can we see hands for leave of absence?

00:12:08I'm going to start with Councillor Mogapi. Then we go to Councillor Boer. Then we go to Councillor Mofokeng. And then we go to Councillor Avant-Smith. And that's the And Councillor Nonhlanhla Nhlanhla Makhuba, you'll be the last one in that order. I can't see your name, Councillor from ActionSA,

00:12:36you'll be the last one.

00:12:41Thank you, Speaker. Greetings, everyone.

00:12:43isiZuluNtombela.

00:12:45Thank you, Speaker. Greetings, all councillors. From the EFF caucus, it's Councillor Nkosi, ill health. Councillor Molise, ill health. Councillor Ntoele, ill health. Councillor Mabidilala, also ill health. And MMC Tshwaku, late arrival. Thank you.

00:13:05MMC Tshwaku has just arrived.

00:13:06Oh, he just arrived. Thank you.

00:13:08Thank you. The next councillor.

00:13:15Morning, Madam Speaker. Morning, councillors. Um Councillor De Lange also submitted an LOA, a written LOA for uh urgent private business. Thank you.

00:13:26Thank you, Councillor Boer. Councillor Avant-Smith.

00:13:32Good morning, colleagues. Good morning, Speaker. Um we've just got two additionals, and that will be Councillor Harman and Councillor Mphefo. And um Councillor Rambani and Councillor Kgeletsane will be uh late, uh should be arriving before 10:30. And Councillor Christians needs to leave at 11:00 and will come back if we're still running. He's just got an urgent meeting. Thank you.

00:13:57Thank you, Councillor Avant-Smith. Councillor Mofokeng.

00:14:04Uh morning, Speaker. Uh I have the following apologies: Councillor Ngwenya Councillor Ngwenya, writing exams. Councillor Mathe, Councillor Lobi, Executive Mayor, Councillor Mgcina will arrive late. Councillor Siphiwe Simelane and Councillor Mavhona, and Councillor Mnyameni off sick. Councillor Busisiwe Nzimande will leave at 12:00. Thank you very much.claim

00:14:33Thank you, Chair.

00:14:39Morning, Speaker. Uh for the IFP, Councillor Khanyile and Councillor Mkhize, uh late arrival. Thank you.

00:14:47Thank you, um Councillor.

00:14:51Morning, Speaker and colleagues. Um Councillor Mkhonto, Councillor Nkomo, and Councillor Aphane, ill health. Councillor Zwane and Councillor Moatshe, late arrival. Councillor Wissler will ask to leave at 3:30 if we're not done with the business of council today. Thank you, Speaker.

00:15:13Thank you, councillors. Uh are the apologies noted as we've received them? Thank you, colleagues.

Recommendations to council and EFF request for caucus

00:15:29We are now on recommendations to council.

00:15:34Can we ask that the leader of executive business, in the absence of the Mayor, give us recommendations to council? Just before you go, MMC, colleagues. Councillor Mogapi. Just hold on, uh um MMC. Councillor Mogapi.

00:16:03Thank you, Speaker.

00:16:04You can have a seat, uh MMC.

00:16:08Thank you, Speaker. As the EFF caucus, we would like to request for a one-hour caucus.

00:16:22Well, colleagues, the the one hour is granted, but I want to I want to say to the EFF, on my watch, it's 10:15, and I want you to be back at 11:15. And all of us ensure that everybody is back at 11:15. Can we do that? Thank you so much.

00:16:53We're back at 11:15.

Resumption after EFF caucus

01:22:28Not even [inaudible].

01:22:40Councillors, can we settle down? At least today we are not so bad with our time. We just did 2 minutes over. Can we I don't want to call by names who must settle down, so can we settle down?

01:23:06I'm not sure. We are rowdy today.

01:23:11Councillor Makhuba.

01:23:21Colleagues, will Councillor Mogapi report back to us as per they have asked for a 1-hour caucus? So, can we get a feedback if they are okay? Can we be seated, please?

01:23:43That councillor that's asking for breakfast, hey, it's me and him again today. Yo!

01:23:56Councillor Mogapi, can you report back? Can we can we hurry to sit down?

01:24:06Use the mic next to you, please, Councillor. IT, can you look at the mics? Ask the front. Oh, there it's on. There it's on.

01:24:15Thank you, Speaker. As the EFF Caucus, we are fine. We are good to go. Thank you.

01:24:25Thank you, Councillors. Are we good to go? Can we start?

ANC requests 45-minute caucus

01:24:37Speaker. We were on recommendations to Council. I, Councillor Mofokeng.

01:24:42isiZuluHayi bo.

01:24:46Thank you, Speaker. As the African National Congress, we request 45 minutes caucus, please.

01:24:55You know, colleagues, Councillor Mofokeng, I came here and I thought I'm going to be an hour here.

01:25:06But let us see me three how we deal with it. The ANC is granted their 45 minutes. Can I get calculation for the 45 minutes? Colleagues, please be aware that there is no lunch. There is nothing for today. You are going to go home with tea tummies. Okay.

01:25:30We are coming back at 12:05. You can have as much tea as possible.

Late return and live feed complaint

02:12:01Colleagues, can we start settling down? We are 5 or so minutes later than what we're supposed to start. I see that they are ANC councillors outside. They ask for the caucus. Can someone tell them to come in so that we can get a response from them and carry on with the business of the day?

02:12:27Councillor Rahn, we are 5 minutes late. Councillor Rahn.

02:12:35Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just two things. First of all, there's no live feed and we've got one item on the agenda and we're still now sitting at 10 past 12. Continuing like this is a bit of abuse, ja.claim

02:12:50We'll find out about the live feed. There's a councillor that keeps on saying yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Councillor Rahn, we will look at the live feed.

02:13:04isiZuluHayi bo!

02:13:06We will look at the live feed. And then we'll also... That's why I said, councillors are outside, they asked for time and we still don't have them inside, because we want to understand how far are they. The day needs to finish. No, but on my phone.

02:13:31Councillor Rahn, on my phone, it's live. I can even hear myself speaking on my phone. It's live. I know there's a network problem with all the networks. I was off for almost 10 hours yesterday.

02:13:57Ja, I can see it. Mine is also on. Colleagues, can we settle? The day is going. And one item seems like 101 items.

02:14:21Councillor Mofokeng, I see you are back. Just hold on. Councillor, I just want us all to settle. It's really disturbing when you... Sit down. It's disturbing when you get people to speak and we are all moving around.

02:15:31Councillor Mofokeng, I think we're ready for you.

02:15:35Thank you very much, Speaker. We can go on. Thank you.

Patriotic Alliance requests 30-minute caucus

02:15:43Councillor Juweira, we haven't even started and your hand is up. What's the point of order?

02:15:48Thank you, Madam Speaker. No point of order. Can we please have a 30 minutes caucus break as the Patriotic Alliance? I thank you.

02:15:53Ag, no man, colleagues. You guys are taking advantage of the rules, seriously. Granted.

02:16:02Thank you, Speaker.

02:16:07We're coming back at 12:40. Councillor Juweira, Councillor Juweira, ensure that your caucus is back at 12:40.

Return from PA caucus

02:48:13We can start.

02:48:22Thank you so much. Can we be seated? We have the PA back. Councillor Juera, can you report back so that we can continue with the day's work?

02:48:47Councillor Juera, just hold on because if we continue with the day's work, I don't see the leader of executive business or the Mayor, Councillor Mofokeng. Can you ensure that your neighbors next to you are back so that when the PA reports

02:49:15the chief whip, the chair of chairs, leader of executive business, and the Mayor so that we can continue because they have to table their item.

02:50:07Thank you so much, colleagues.

02:50:11The Executive Mayor and Councillor Sifumba. Councillor Kaldine, can you report back?

02:50:32Can you use a mic next to you? There's one that's red. There's one that's red.

02:50:39Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the caucus break. We are covered. We may proceed. I thank you.

02:50:46Thank you so much. STC?

Executive withdraws the City Manager recruitment report

02:50:51Councillors, we resume on recommendations to council.

02:50:56Executive, oh, LOB, will you? Okay. Will LOB table? Thank you, LOB, LOEB.

02:51:18Greetings, Speaker. Greetings, Executive Mayor. Greetings to the Chief Whip of Council. Greetings to the Chair of Chairs. Greetings to the MMCs, fellow councillors. Speaker,

02:51:41Councillors.

02:51:43Speaker, I rise to withdraw the report. Thank you.

ATM caucus request, announcements and adjournment

02:51:51Councillor, can you just hold on, councillors? Councillor Magwentshu.

02:52:00Speaker.

02:52:02Councillors, we haven't adjourned as yet.

02:52:08Speaker, I'm not sure whether it's now going to work because I wanted to ask for a caucus break before that was tabled. Thank you.

02:52:22Your hand was up after the chief after the leader of executive spoke and that's where we are. Councillors, can I? Yeah, just hold on.

02:52:48Councillors, can I just do the following? Please be reminded that the ordinary council meeting will be convened next Thursday on the 30th at 10:00 AM in this chamber. The agenda link and hard copies for councillors who have requested such will be distributed today immediately after the adjournment of this. And I also want to remind councillors that tomorrow in Alberton,

02:53:19there is a councillors' imbizo and there will be transport from the Metro City to Alberton. Could we please attend in our numbers so that we can understand council procedures? I thank you. The meeting has been adjourned. It's at 8:00 you can be at the council chambers tomorrow. Thank you.