- Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has called on residents to join a campaign to keep her in office.
- New speaker Colleen Makhubele has called a special sitting of the council for Friday.
- Phalatse indicated she will not be resigning.
Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has called on residents of the city to join the #HandsOffJoburg campaign to keep her in office.
This after new speaker Colleen Makhubele called a ninth special sitting of the council for Friday.
In an open letter to residents after the announcement, Phalatse said they should "make your voices heard on social media, radio, TV by joining the campaign #HandsOffJoburg! Lobby your councillors to protect and uphold YOUR interests [sic]".
The mayor thanked those who she said had sent messages of support for her and the multiparty government, "which despite the political events of the last month, have still been hard at work in order to ensure that the repair and rebuild of the city continues".
"Over the last few days, there have been calls for my resignation, pending the tabling of a motion of confidence in me, and by extension the entire executive of the City.
"I will not be resigning, and I along with the 10 members of the mayoral committee intend on completing our electoral term of office so that we can build this beautiful city, across its seven regions, and call it a 'City of Golden Opportunities', where all residents feel that they are part of a beautifully diverse community."
[OPEN LETTER] Dear Residents of @CityofJoburgZA pic.twitter.com/pBX0QpVpUd
— Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) September 29, 2022
Phalatse said this call to action was not about her or political parties, but rather the six million residents.
She added it would be the residents who suffered if the multiparty government dissolved through a motion of confidence in her.
"As we speak, there are nefarious actors working to urgently convene a meeting of council to dissolve the multiparty government and subsequently elect what can best be described as a corrupt cabal that will masquerade as a government.
"Their only focus will be to empty the City's coffers, stop service delivery and collapse the city."
Meanwhile, opposition parties said if Phalatse was booted from office, an ANC member would take up the position and a new council would be formed.