Gayton McKenzie, the leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), has put forward his name for consideration as the new mayor of Johannesburg following the proposed removal of Thapelo Amad.
McKenzie made the announcement on Thursday, revealing that he would be resigning from his position as the mayor of the Central Karoo district municipality in order to make himself available for the Johannesburg mayoral post.
Sunday World understands that the PA is going to pull out from a coalition arrangement with the ANC in Gauteng, and it is alleged that McKenzie has already received backing from ActionSA and Freedom Front Plus for the mayoral position.
McKenzie said the PA is committed to voting in favour of ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Amad, stating that the residents of Johannesburg deserve better.
“The Patriotic Alliance will vote in favour of ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Joburg mayor Thapelo Amad,” said McKenzie.
“We do this not for ourselves but because the residents deserve better. We voted for this man, which may be forgivable. To not remove him now would be unforgivable.
“If the DA, Freedom Front Plus, IFP, ACDP, UIM and others support the removal of Amad, we will need to elect a new mayor.
“I will put my name in the hat for the job. I don’t have to be the mayor at all costs, but Joburg has been falling apart and someone needs to step up.”
McKenzie believes that Johannesburg has become a city run by criminals and that the new mayor must not be scared to break up the criminal cartels and restore the shine of the City of Gold.
“Our city is being strangled by the construction mafia, by Black Axe, by zama zamas literally hollowing us out from under our feet, but most especially networks of patronage and corruption that penetrate all levels of our city, including the City of Johannesburg’s administration.
“The city needs a mayor who will restore law and order to our streets, who is unafraid to fire the proxies of the corrupt masquerading as officials, and who will reignite investment.”
If elected, McKenzie pledged to work as the mayor for no more than a year, and will not take a salary, use municipal vehicles, or bodyguards. He believes that only a year will be enough to remodel the city and restore it to its former glory.
“I will again not take my salary but donate it to charity. I will not use municipal vehicles or bodyguards. This is not about what I will be able to take, but what I am willing to give. It is about service and country duty.
“As I did in the Central Karoo, I will work as the Joburg mayor for no more than one year. Only one year is needed to remodel our great city and restore its shine. In the Central Karoo, after one year, investment and hope have boomed.
“What I learnt in Central Karoo is that it is not about me and what I can do, but about paying attention to what everyone knows should be done but lack the courage to do.”
On Tuesday, ActionsSA submitted a motion of no confidence in Amad, council speaker Colleen Makhubele, and other officials elected through “crooked dealings” between the ANC and the EFF.
The party expressed disappointment in the mayor, saying that he has been a dismal failure in his short tenure, unable to articulate a coherent plan of action and vision for the city.
“Mayor Amad, an expedient candidate between the ANC and EFF’s coalition of doom, has repeatedly proven to be woefully ill-equipped and unable to articulate a coherent plan of action and vision for the City of Johannesburg,” said ActionSA.
McKenzie’s announcement comes after Amad received backlash for revealing his involvement in procuring a R9.5-billion loan for the city.
McKenzie, who was previously in support of Amad when former mayor Mpho Phalatse was ousted, called for his resignation and said the PA would do its best to rectify the mistake.
“We must put the citizens of Joburg first and admit we have backed the wrong horse. Thapelo Amad has been asked to climb a mountain too high for him,” he said earlier this week.
“It’s not just harming Joburg, it’s destroying him too. We will rectify this blunder. Amad should resign now. We apologise profusely.”
The motion against Amad will be debated on April 25.
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