Insults were the order of the day during Mpho Phalatse’s first meeting as mayor of Johannesburg.
The hybrid meeting was held at the Constance Connie Bapela Council Chamber in Braamfontein with 102 councillors connected virtually.
This proved difficult for council speaker Vasco da Gama, who was at pains to identify who was hurling insults at fellow councillors.
The meeting kicked off to a bumpy start with Da Gama dismissing an urgent debate request following what members of the opposition labelled Phalatse’s pro-Israel comments while on the mayoral campaign trail.
Clad in keffiyehs (traditional Palestine scarves), ANC councillors chanted “free Palestine” after they demanded Phalatse withdraw her alleged comment that she was a friend of Israel.
While delivering her first speech as a mayor, Phalatse said the challenge that lay ahead for the 18 parties represented in the Joburg council was to bring hope to the city.
“Now over 40% of residents do not enjoy the dignity of work, of earning a living to support themselves and their families.
“Worst of all is the impact of this on the youth as over 55% of the young people of our city, our future, are unemployed and face an uncertain tomorrow without hope.
“We feel this lack of hope when we see families go hungry because of no jobs.
“We feel this lack of hope in the massive crime rates that leave us all feeling unsafe.
“We feel this lack of hope in the crumbling roads, in the power that constantly goes off, in the taps that run dry, and in a city that we can’t trust to get the basics done,” Phalatse said.
Responding to Phalatse’s address, PA councillor Ashley Sauls said residents were not asking the DA to save them but were asking for a stable government.
Sauls said South Africans were sitting at home unemployed while undocumented foreigners were occupying spaces, including hospital beds meant for South Africans.
“Joburg is open to millions of undocumented foreigners. They are hijacking buildings and homes of the residents of Joburg. The City of Joburg has become the capital of undocumented foreigners. Undocumented foreigners must go home,” Sauls said.
Phalatse cautioned against painting all immigrants with one brush, adding that some were victims of human trafficking.
“Some undocumented migrants were trafficked into SA by criminal syndicates who promised jobs in Canada and Australia, took all their life savings and left them stranded in SA.
“We can’t discriminate against them. Others want to go home but don’t have the money. Some want to be repatriated.
“Some have not been helped by home affairs and we’ll be partnering with home affairs and we’ll assist them.
“Let’s not victimise against all undocumented migrants. Let’s not put through a blanket approach but criminals should be dealt with criminally,” Phalatse said.
Speaking on putting together a stable government, Phalatse said announcements would be made soon in terms of who forms part of the coalition government that will run the City of Joburg.
