Loyiso Masuku has been sworn in as Johannesburg’s first deputy mayor.
The speaker of the council, Marget Anolds, confirmed that Masuku had been sworn in on Friday and is now ready to begin her duties. She will now assist Dada Morero in running the City of Johannesburg.
“I would want to congratulate councillor Masuku on becoming the first woman deputy mayor,but also the first deputy mayor in the City of Johannesburg.
“I know that she is capable and that she is able and that she is going to assist the mayor with service delivery. I am really happy, and I congratulate her,” she said.
Will service delivery improve?
Masuku told eNCA that she will be working closely with the mayor to turn the city around.
“The work of the deputy mayor is critical in assisting the executive mayor in terms of the role and in terms of oversight, as well as intergovernmental relations in terms of the turnaround plans for the municipality working together with the presidential working group and working together with the provincial government,” she said.
Masuku said she would like to ensure that the city collects adequate revenue and to ensure the it is able to deliver basic services.
Masuku was elected unopposed during Thursday’s council meeting. She stood unopposed.
Party politics before service delivery.
The Citizen understands that her election results from an informal agreement between two factions of the ANC in Johannesburg.
A faction that supports Masuku wanted the current mayor, Dada Morero, removed from office because he no longer held the position of regional chairperson. He lost this title to Masuku at the ANC Greater Johannesburg regional conference late last year.
But an agreement was allegedly reached to create a deputy mayor position to appease Masuku’s faction. The secretary general of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula, had also spoken out against those in his party who wanted Morero removed.
He said Morero’s removal during an election year will destabilise government in the City of Johannesburg.
Masuku occupied the position of MMC for finance before being elected as deputy mayor.
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