Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
30 July 2024 | 12:01 CAT

A coalition of civil society organizations, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, and Rivonia Circle, has criticized the quality-of-service delivery in Joburg.

Calls for political consequences were the order of the day, with service delivery falling short, infrastructure crumbling, and mismanagement from the Johannesburg council continuing unabated; the urgency of the situation prompted frustrated residents and several civil society organizations took to the streets. Their demand was clear: Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda must resign, and a new leadership must step in immediately to pull the city out of its downward spiral.

The protest comes after the announcement of an increase in the electricity tariff and weeks of water outages across the metro, leaving residents and civil society organizations at a loss.

Mark Heywood from the Joburg Crisis Alliance told Radio Islam International, “Johannesburg is a city facing a governance breakdown which impacts on the delivery of almost every service that the Johannesburg Metro is legally obliged to provide to citizens.”

Heywood emphasized that the people worst affected by the problem are often the most vulnerable and poorest in our communities, a fact that should evoke a strong sense of empathy in all of us.

Meanwhile, City of Johannesburg speaker Margaret Arnolds stood by to accept the memo. The crowd indicated they were incensed that Mayor Gwamanda had again failed to meet them at a protest and became more vocal when Arnolds addressed them.

You can listen to the full interview on The Daily Round Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Mark Heywood from the Joburg Crisis Alliance here.