JOBURG HAS FALLEN

The country's richest city is in chaos but it seems its politicians have no interest in getting things back on track

- SIPHOKAZI ZAMA, NASIFA SULAIMAN

A SHAMBLES, a fiasco, a farcical game of musical chairs – ask Joburgers to describe the goings-on at their municipality and this is what you’re likely to hear.

And as for naming the person who wears the mayoral chain – that job changes so often it’s almost impossible to keep up.

Citizens just want someone who’ll sort out the water shortages, power outages, potholed roads, crime and grime and return SA’s economic capital to its former glory. But with no party in the Johannesburg City Council having an outright majority, coalitions are the order of the day – and all the flip-flopping of loyalties and the horse-trading between politicians have resulted in three parties providing six mayors in the past two years.

The latest mayoral casualty, Thapelo Amad, had to hand back his chain after less than 100 days. His successor, Kabelo Gwamanda, has made many promises about service delivery, but residents aren’t holding their breath.

We look at the mess the once-shining City of Gold has ended up in – and if there’s anything that can be done about it.

LEADERSHIP CRISIS

In January Amad from Al Jama-ah, a Muslim party that holds just three of the 270 seats on the council, became the city's new mayor. This was the result of the ANC joining forces with the EFF and Patriotic Alliance to oust in-again out-again DA mayor Mpho Phalatse. The three parties then agreed to install Amad as a "transitional mayor" while they sorted out their differences.

Amad said he'd secured a R9-billion loan to use for service delivery and to build a smart city. However, he didn't have the authority to commit the city to such a loan and many questioned his competence. Out he went and in came Gwamanda.