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ActionSA condemns the brazen contempt for Council on full display at the Ordinary Council Meeting of 30 April 2026. Council was told the Executive Mayor Ald. Nkosindiphile Xhakaza would not attend and an Acting Mayor appointed in his place. Then the Council Secretary announced the Speaker Cllr John Senona would also be absent.

The Council Secretary then tried to have an illegitimate Acting City Manager preside over the appointment of an Acting Speaker. This unlawful move forced ActionSA to challenge the legitimacy of the entire process and the sitting itself. Ekurhuleni has no Acting City Manager because Council never appointed one.

Section 54A of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, governs the appointment of Municipal Managers and Acting Municipal Managers with clear legal precision. The Act vests the authority to appoint an Acting Municipal Manager solely in Council, and only under prescribed circumstances. Furthermore, Subsection (2A) (a) is unambiguous “a person appointed in terms of subsection (1)(b) may not be appointed to act for a period that exceeds three months.” This is not a guideline. It is a statutory requirement.

In the absence of compliance with the prescribed process set out in the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, ActionSA holds that the City of Ekurhuleni currently has no lawful Acting City Manager. This Ordinary Council Meeting was not routine. It was expected to deliberate on critical matters, including formal update reports on the disciplinary processes instituted against the Head of Department Human Resources and the Head of Department Risk & Legal Services. To proceed under illegitimate authority is to compromise accountability on matters the residents deserve answers to.

ActionSA will write to the Speaker of Council demanding an Extraordinary Council Meeting be convened within the prescribed seven (7) days. We will further write to the Executive Mayor, insisting that a full report on the allegations against the City Manager be tabled before Council.

Issued by ActionSA Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate Xolani Khumalo