ActionSA’s Nobuhle Mthembu is the new Speaker of the Johannesburg Council, with a promise to residents that she will instil accountability and transparency in the City.

Mthembu’s appointment comes as a result of Margaret Arnolds’ immediate resignation as Speaker.

Arnolds is now Finance MMC, as announced by newly elected Mayor Dada Morero.

Mthembu noted that Wednesday “marked the beginning of a new era”, which she said was focused on restoring the City to its former glory, “where service delivery will take centre stage”.

“This is an era in which we will instil a culture of accountability and transparency, and where, at every turn, we will work together to ensure that the best interests of our residents anchor our efforts,” she said.

“We are in rebuilding mode, and the residents of Johannesburg simply cannot be expected to wait any longer for the effective delivery of frontline services – from reliable electricity and water to functional traffic lights, refuse removal, and pothole repairs. I have made it clear that rejuvenating the inner city and getting Johannesburg back on track as a hub of investment and opportunity will be a central focus.”

Mthembu highlighted that she was committed to pursuing every effort to ensure that the Council delivered a functioning City for residents.

Mthembu promised to prioritise work to resolve the billing crisis, and ensure that the City had the resources to provide public services and the rejuvenation of the inner city.

She wants to tackle corruption, patronage and wastefulness in the use of resources, as well as ensure strict enforcement of City bylaws, particularly around illegal trading and dumping.

Mthembu said she would ensure that accountability was entrenched in a “collaborative environment” for effective service delivery and the restoration of good governance.

She promised Johannesburg residents that her office would function solely to protect and advance their interests, and said the new administration represented a “much-needed shift” towards stabilising governance and prioritising service delivery.

“We must all recognise that the City has deteriorated over the past years, but to save it, we have one option, and that is to act now,” she said,

She said the City must be relentless in driving a sustained programme of action, backed by political will and the abandonment of patronage and wastefulness in the use of resources.

“…this must be a City where lawlessness is met with swift action, where our bylaws are not merely suggestions but are strictly adhered to and enforced, and ultimately where the safety of our residents is protected,” Mthembu highlighted.