Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has issued a moratorium on filling vacant positions in the City of Johannesburg. 

Phalatse said there was currently no political oversight in the city to keep guard on decision made by the administration.

Phalatse said, "We do not have a majority government in Johannesburg, and we need to put in place coalitions first that will take the city forward. I have already issued an order for a moratorium to be placed for the filling of all vacancies, permanent and temporary."

The moratorium includes the extension of employment contracts and the conversion. "This is done to protect the integrity of the municipality," Phalatse added. 

The mayor decided on the freeze after consultation with the acting city manager. 

The decision to freeze the filling of vacant posts follows her election as mayor of Johannesburg on 22 November. 

She was elected through the support of opposition political parties because the Democratic Alliance (DA) does not have a majority in the city. 

Phalatse has yet to appoint a 10-member mayoral committee because the DA has yet to conclude negotiations with opposition political parties. 

If the DA can persuade opposition political parties to partner with it in Johannesburg, mayoral committee positions will likely be part of the agreements.

The former Joburg mayco member turned mayor said concluding coalition negotiations was crucial before any appointments or extension of employment contracts could be made. 

Phalatse, speaking at a DA mayoral event in Johannesburg on Friday, said she was prepared to hit the ground running as mayor. 

The City of Johannesburg has in recent times seen residents up in arms over incorrect billing, water cuts, and electricity issues. 

Phalatse said during her short address that those are the issues she would be dealing with head-on for a “broken Joburg”. 

“We need to invest heavily in infrastructure and increase capacity in Johannesburg. A lot of ratepayers are discouraged because of the billing system,” Phalatse said.