For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: ActionSA to submit no confidence motion against Joburg mayor and speaker; BLSA says government communication must improve if more investment is to be garnered; And, Tshwane pylon collapse linked to crime

 

ActionSA to submit no confidence motion against Joburg mayor and speaker

ActionSA resolved today to submit a motion of no confidence against City of Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Amad, who the party believes is an “ill-equipped expedient candidate between the African National Congress and Economic Freedom Fighters coalition of doom”. 

Action SA blamed the mayor for being unable to articulate a coherent plan to improve the city as well as for the deterioration of service delivery in the city.

The party has pointed to the compromises involved in electing mayoral candidates between the ANC and EFF. 

ActionSA caucus leader Funzi Ngobeni said since Amad’s election, service delivery in Johannesburg has rapidly deteriorated with heaps of rubbish piling the city’s streets, with ANC members of the mayoral committee – such as Jack Sekwaila – wanting to blame homeless people for the city’s mess.

Further, ActionSA has levelled criticism at City of Johannesburg speaker Colleen Makhubele for using ill health to justify her inability to exercise her duties.

 

BLSA says government communication must improve if more investment is to be garnered

Of all the factors impacting on investor confidence in the country, Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso says government’s communication to the market is one that requires extensive work.

She cites in her latest weekly newsletter the example of the debacle around the exemption given, and then withdrawn, to State-owned power utility Eskom to allow it to not report fruitless and wasteful expenditure in its yearly financial statements.

The way the exemption was communicated to the market created the impression that it was to enable Eskom to withhold information from ratings agencies, Mavuso states, adding that this was a serious blunder.

She adds that it damages government’s reputation as an honest counterpart to investors, particularly leading up to the Investment Conference on April 13.

One of the most important investment cases the country should be making is in the transition of the energy sector – a case which had not been helped by Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Mavuso points out.

The Minister recently visited Eskom’s 15 power stations and reported thereafter that the stations need life extensions through greater government investment, as well as more investment in coal mines.

 

And, Tshwane pylon collapse linked to crime

Criminality was the likely cause of the collapse of seven pylons on the N4 in Pretoria on Sunday night, according to City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink.

He said there are now clear indications that at least three of the pylons had been vandalised.

Initial reports indicated that six pylons had collapsed, but the City said on Monday evening that "seven powerline structures (pylons)" collapsed.

It caused a car pile-up which left at least two people injured. The N4 was reopened on Monday afternoon.  Eskom has been asked to help supply structures for the lines.

The City is also investigating a photo that accompanied a tweet posted last year to warn of a possible collapse. It is probing whether the powerline in the tweet is indeed one situated in the area where the collapse occurred.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [@PolityZA]