ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba is set to announce Nobuhle Mthembu as candidate for Joburg speaker candidate. Picture: Itumeleng English
ActionSA’s caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu is set to be elected as the new City of Joburg council speaker.
The council will sit on Wednesday to elect a new speaker after the resignation of Margaret Arnold.
Arnold is a member of the African Independent Congress (AIC).
The former speaker’s resignation was announced on Saturday, after her recent appointment to the position of the member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance under the newly elected Mayor Dada Morero.
A source told The Star that Mthembu would be named as the party’s candidate on Tuesday.
The source said the party would get five more committee chairpersons as the organisation was running on the ticket of keeping officials accountable.
“Today (Tuesday) we will announce Mthembu as the candidate, additionally we will occupy the committee chairpersons.
“We have the support of other opposition parties that are in the Government of Local Unity (GLU) so we will take that position with ease,” the source said.
On the question of whether ActionSA was now part of the GLU, the source said the party was but they were not saying it publicly but they were instead using the word “partnership” in agreements.
The source said it was likely to see similar arrangements in the City of Ekurhuleni. This was the party’s way of implementing their policies through the GLU.
The speaker position is a crucial one as it sought to hold executives to account through various means, such as investigations and the tabling of reports to the council.
There are a number of crucial investigations that have not been concluded by the speaker's office.
During her resignation speech, Arnold said she acknowledged the challenges faced during her tenure, highlighting the spirit of unity in addressing the city’s needs.
“Your dedication to public service and your relentless efforts in addressing our communities have been a source of inspiration,” Arnold said.
Despite stepping down, Arnold remains confident in Joburg's leadership, affirming her belief in the city’s resilience and potential.
“Though I may be stepping down, my faith in the potential of this city remains unwavering. I leave knowing that Joburg is in good hands,” Arnold said.
ActionSA’s spokesperson, Sam Mgobozi, did not respond to questions sent to him by the time of publication.
The Star
sipho.jack@inl.co.za
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