Statement by Matthew Cook, GOOD Johannesburg
11 August 2021
Newly appointed Mayor of Johannesburg, Jolidee Matongo, enters office with the full weight of his predecessors’ underwhelming performance on his shoulders.
With local government elections around the corner, Matongo has a gilt-edged opportunity to demonstrate decisive leadership. But if he doesn’t, he risks the ignominy of being the shortest-lived mayor in Johannesburg’s history.
The GOOD Party welcomes the filling of the city’s highest office. Matongo’s previous role as Johannesburg’s MMC for Finance will have equipped him well to ensure the City spends its budget wisely and without corruption.
Also welcomed is Matongo’s promise of “serious consequences” for those who failed to spend Johannesburg’s R73bn budget last year. Service delivery in the city is so dire that it borders on criminality for the City not to be spending every possible cent at its disposal.
While welcoming Matongo’s ascension and promise, the GOOD Party will continue to raise uncomfortable issues of poor management and poor delivery. Many of these issues were brought to the previous mayor’s attention, but have not yet been attended to.
The GOOD Party will continue to speak out for the dignity of the residents of Zone 2 in Pimville, for example. They have been suffering the effects of an unserviceable sewerage system for too long.
Stable electricity supply in areas like wards 17, 18 and 113 must be restored as a priority. The cycling path project that was abandoned on Chris Hani Road, in Soweto, must be completed. Corruption must be eradicated.
On top of profound inequality, and miserable lives for many, Johannesburg must also recover from the aftermath of recent looting and anarchy – besides Covid’s ongoing agony and ruin…
It is a good time for leaders of calibre to rise to the fore, to guide the city’s economic and emotional recovery, and to create a sense of calm focus on better service delivery and a greater sense of public dignity.
Anything less, with an election a few months away, will find Matongo, hotseat and all, at the front of the queue in the departure lounge.