Cape Town - Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie says he will throw his name in the hat for the position of Johannesburg mayor if current mayor Thapelo Amad is removed.
This is amid calls for Amad to be removed.
Amad sparked controversy after saying, during an interview with the SABC last week, that he had secured a potential loan of R9.5 billion from a private financier to address service delivery and to build a smart city for South Africa’s economic hub.
McKenzie, whose term as the mayor of the Central Karoo District Municipality (CKDM) ends this month, said the PA would vote in favour of ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Amad.
“If the DA, Freedom Front Plus, IFP, ACDP, UIM (United Independent Movement) 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,” McKenzie said.
He said he would not take any salary but donate it to charity, and would not use municipal vehicles or bodyguards.
“I don’t have to be the mayor at all costs, but Joburg has been falling apart and someone needs to step up. It is obvious that Johannesburg has become a mafia city run by criminals. Whoever becomes the mayor must have no fear to break up the criminal cartels and restore the shine of the city of light.
“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,” he said.
DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi said: “It’s ironic that Mr McKenzie is now on a self-promotional quest to be the next mayor of Joburg while the chaos currently in the metro is in part because of the role he played in toppling the DA-led coalition,” he said.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said they believed it was premature to be discussing positions at this stage.
“Our focus is currently on lobbying for support of our MONC (motion of no confidence) to remove the ANC and EFF coalition of looters from the City of Johannesburg,” he said.
Dr Corné Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus said the matter was set to be discussed.
“What I can tell you is that the leaders of the multi-party coalition parties will meet in the next few days to discuss that and other developments.
“I do think it is positive and to be welcomed that the PA has expressed itself in support of the broader coalition initiative for 2024,“ Mulder said.
Cape Times