The City of Johannesburg delegation had a tough time justifying its presence and explaining the absence of mayor Dada Morero during a parliamentary oversight visit.

Chairperson of the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs Dr. Zweli Mkhize was unhappy with Morero’s absence at the meeting to assess the financial health of the province’s eleven municipalities on Thursday at the Ferndale Recreation Centre in Randburg, Johannesburg-Morero was out of the country.

“We do have an apology again from mayor Dada,” Mkhize quipped.

Johannesburg human settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso, who is acting Joburg mayor, had a torrid time after responding to a question about Morero’s so-called Bomb Squad, which he described as a group of individuals that were invited by the executive mayor to support the work the executive is doing in turning around the city.

“They are providing support on service delivery-related issues while the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group (announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March) is more on administrative support, so there are no contradictions in their roles and responsibilities,” he explained.

Mabaso said members of the Bomb Squad were assisting the municipality voluntarily and are mostly former city employees and experts who have an interest in the development of the City of Johannesburg.

“The mayor does have confidence in his executive and that’s why we are here and he is not here because he has confidence that we will be able to respond to all the issues that will be raised, supported by the administration,” he said.

Mkhize then interrupted Mabaso: “No, no. Now you are creating an issue, I have a letter from the mayor and he didn’t say that. The mayor has given another reason but what you are saying is that the mayor decided he is not coming here.

“You are good enough, in other words ‘forget about that committee, you guys can handle it’. That’s what you’re saying. I have the letter, what you’re telling us is not what the mayor told us”.

Mkhize continued: “You’ve got a lowly committee there that doesn’t need the mayor, it just needs … we’ve got a team that will go and sort it out, that’s what you’re saying”.

In response, Mabaso said this was not what he meant but that Morero has confidence in his mayoral committee.

Mkhize then responded: “You can’t link that to your presence here, it is therefore what you are doing in your organisation, stick to that”.

Mabaso led a delegation which included speaker Margaret Arnolds, finance MMC Loyiso Masuku, acting city manager Kiba Kekana and chief financial officer Tebogo Moraka.

The oversight meeting continues with other municipalities on Friday.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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