CEOs and Chairpersons

Non-Executive Directors

Independent Audit Committee Members

Councillors; and

City of Johannesburg Officials
 

The responsibilities of the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg are many and cross-cutting, but arguably one of the most important functions of this Office, is that of shareholder of the 13 Municipal Entities that are in the main, at the coalface of service delivery and unlocking economic opportunities.

It is for this reason that the Multi-Party Government moved with meaningful haste to appoint the boards of all the Municipal Entities as a deliberate signal of our intention to get the City working, in every sense.

At the AGM, just over a month ago, it was important to state that a well-run Johannesburg with improved service delivery is linked to well-run Municipal Entities. To disassociate the service delivery from the municipal entities, is to misunderstand the work that we all must play in building Johannesburg.

The significant role that Municipal Entities play is outlined by the Shareholder Compact, which is purposefully engineered to “regulate the relationship between the City as Shareholder of the Company and the Board of Directors of the Company as the Accounting Authority of the Company.”

The Compact goes on further to outline its particular application in four important points:

·       Outline and strengthen the accountability of the Board of Directors to the Shareholder with respect to the service delivery mandate of the Company;

·       Promote transparency;

·       Promote good governance in line with the applicable laws and regulations, Service Delivery Agreements and Service Standards that bind the Company; and 

·       Set out the mandated key performance measures and indicators to be attained by the Company as agreed between the City as the Shareholder and the Board of Directors as the accounting authority.

These four points should remain one of your brightest guiding lights in the work that you do, not for me, but for the City’s close to 6-million residents, many of whom rely on you to do your jobs to survive.

But we do not want the City’s residents to just survive. We want Joburgers to live lives of dignity, lives of meaning; and to be economically active.

In this regard, the City’s entities play an interrelated function: 

·       Without the services of City Power, economic activity would in too many instances come to a grinding halt, which is why it is important that as Johannesburg we explore ways that we can reduce our reliance on Eskom. These are ideas that we will explore and take forward to implementation during and after the Energy Indaba, which we have had to postpone.

·       Without the Joburg Market, billions of rands worth of trade and economic activity, at both a macro- and individual scale would take place in the City. In the 2020/21 financial year, the Market achieved a turnover of over R8.6-billion, which represents growth of 2.4% compared to the targeted turnover of over R8.4-billion.

·       Without the Joburg Development Agency, the Multi-Party Government would not be able to commit to turning the City into a construction site, which will enable long-term growth, and deliver sustainable social and economic infrastructure projects.

·       Equally, without the Johannesburg Social Housing Company, the City would not be able to provide and manage social and affordable rental housing for the lower income market, and in turn address the housing backlog. JOSHCO is also important in building communities with access to economic opportunities and parks. These cannot be the sole preserve of those among us in the higher economic echelons of society.

·       Johannesburg has an abundance of open green spaces that attract tourists and provide some relief from the hustle and bustle of life in Joburg. Johannesburg Park and Zoo is vital to ensuring that Joburg remains environmentally sustainable and liveable for generations to come.

I could go on and list the function and importance of each of the 13 entities, but I believe you get the picture: Advancing quality and equitable service delivery and building an economically active City, requires all entities to play their role but not in silos, and to align with the 7 Mayoral Priorities, namely:

·       A City that gets the basics right

·       A safe and secure City

·       A caring City

·       A business-friendly City

·       An inclusive City

·       A well-run City

·       A smart City

We are well aware that corruption has infected too many aspects of the City, including its entities, therefore, we must do all we can to root out and prosecute corrupt practices and people. 

With every act of corruption, we limit our service delivery potential. 

With every act of corruption, opportunities are stolen from our residents

With every act of corruption, we betray the social contract that we have with the City’s residents.

In this same light, we need to pay special attention to how and where we plan to spend money. We have seen a significant regression in audit findings, and this is encapsulated by the fact that the City spent R3-billion irregularly during the 2020/21 financial year, and not one of Joburg’s entities received a clean audit.

We cannot continue like this. We cannot afford to behave in any old way if we are to truly give Johannesburg a golden shine that sets its light on all its residents.

Without delay, critical vacancies must be filled but, in that process, we must attract and retain the City’s best minds and hands who will make the selfless decision to work in service of the Johannesburg and its residents. 

We need to look at innovative ways of finding solutions to our problems. Our window of opportunity is quickly closing therefore cannot afford to say, “it cannot be done”.

In closing, you will have my full backing and that of the Multi-Party Government when you do what is right, but you will equally face the consequences of your actions if you do not do your job.

We are on this journey together, and the City’s residents are expecting us, many even begging us, to get on the job of delivering services and unlocking economic opportunities. 

I thank you.