EDITORIAL NOTE:  Joburg Mayor Geoffrey Makhubo says action will be taken against those responsible for the irregular appointment of more than 2000 security guards last year. The City of Joburg had insourced around 5000 guards after campaigning by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Makhubo says the number of officers hired were far more than was needed. He says he has also discovered some serious irregularities in the appointment process.

In a statement released by the Mayor of the City of Johannesburg they say they are currently engaged in a Budget Lekgotla.

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Earlier this is what SABC Online reported: City of Joburg Mayor Geoffrey Makhubo has spoken about the negative financial state of the City which was led by the Democratic Alliance (DA) for three years until November last year. Makhubo briefed the media about the state of the City on Wednesday.

He has threatened to terminate the employment of over 2 000 security guards which former Mayor Herman Mashaba insourced.

The African National Congress (ANC) has been accusing former Mayor Mashaba of running the City to the ground. Last year rating agencies maintained the City’s negative outlook sighting the billing crisis and a reduction in liquidity.

City of Joburg Mayor Makhubo highlighted what he described as maladministration, fraud and corruption, which he claims has brought the city to a financial collapse.

“Populist policies and decision-making, coupled with a narcissistic Executive Mayor in search of public affirmation have rendered the city dysfunctional in many critical areas of service-delivery.”

Makhubo also wants to reverse the insourcing of about 3000 security guards and cleaners after he discovered serious irregularities in their appointments.

“Currently, we have insourced 5, 021 security officers, 2, 110 more officers than targeted. The additional 2, 110 people employed under the guise of insourcing were illegally recruited and smuggled into the City’s employ without any valid and legal process of employment. This is abuse of the City’s processes to meet party political ends and to create a sitting constituency whose task was to maintain the status-quo in governance.”

Makhubo, who has been in the post for two months, plans to reverse a number of decisions Mashaba took calling them populist, costly and deceptive.

Among Makhubo’s plans is to resuscitate the contract between JMPD and insurance company Outsurance to reinstate points-men to manage traffic during peak hours and during load shedding.  Last year in September Mashaba cancelled the contract with the points-men.

Makhubo accuses Mashaba of flouting the Municipal Finance Management Act in the procurement of fire engines which are not suitable for emergency medical services.

“In the Emergency Management Services Department the City currently has in operation five fire engines to service 5.5 million residents. This is despite an amount of R172 million having been paid upfront to a service provider in contravention of Municipal Finance Management Act for the delivery of fire engines which have not yet been delivered. To date not a single fire engine has been delivered to the City.”

Makhubo says they are working on filling close to 4 000 potholes and cleaning up the city.