I will continue to fight for the people of Joburg: Mpho Phalatse

Johannesburg Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse

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Mpho-Phalatse

Wendy Mothata

5 October 2022, 18:00 [SAST]

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ousted City of Johannesburg Mayor Doctor Mpho Phalatse says she will continue to fight for the people of the city following her ousting from office.

Briefing the media earlier on Wednesday, she referred to herself as the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, saying that this will be confirmed by the court next week Tuesday.

Phalatse maintains that the ANC, which is now holding the seat of the mayor, acquired this position through corrupt processes and this will soon change. She has called on the public to join the fight on social media and other platforms available to them and reclaim their city.

Phalatse admits that being in a coalition is not easy, but this is worth fighting for, working with other political parties represented in council.

“A court victory alone will not see this city restored to a trusted government. There is a political battle to be fought too, a battle to appeal to the senses of political parties who genuinely care about our city and its residents, parties whose voters entrusted them with ensuring that the ANC does not get its hands on their rates and taxes. These parties have an obligation to their voters, a duty to rise above party politics, to choose to enter the fight and joining others to keep the ANC out,” says Phalatse.

Mpho Phalatse removed as Mayor of Johannesburg

Meanwhile, ANC Spokesperson Pule Mabe says that the party welcomed the developments, adding that the DA did not win the power to govern in the City.

Mabe says “We knew. I mean look, if you think of it the ANC is the only party that has never gone to court to stop any of these ‘wannabes’ from governing. We have never done that. We have never done that. We lose Nelson Mandela Bay, the secretary of Nelson Mandela Bay is then found welcoming the outcomes of what would have happened in that metro. That is the ANC. We allowed the DA to occupy the seat of government here in the city, but we kept on reminding them, we whispered to them that don’t forget you did not win the power to govern. You are governing by permission.”

New Johannesburg Mayor, Dada Morero, has committed the ANC to promote the interests of the communities which it serves, starting with the energy crisis crippling South Africa’s economic powerhouse.

Morero, who replaced Phalatse, wants to implement an energy mix strategy that will deal with rolling blackouts. At the same time, ActionSA has hit out at the DA, accusing it of treating other coalition parties with arrogance.