Joburg Under Fire for Senior Acting Appointments as DA Flags Legal Concerns

A new wave of political tension has gripped Johannesburg’s city leadership after the Democratic Alliance (DA) accused the city of flouting legal procedures in a series of senior acting appointments. In response, Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance Jacob Mamabolo has promised to assess the allegations and provide a decision within two weeks.

Acting Roles Questioned by the DA

The DA is raising the alarm over what it describes as irregular appointments of multiple senior officials—some of whom have been serving in acting roles for months without proper legal backing. Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the DA’s Johannesburg caucus leader, wrote to the municipality questioning why no clear legal process was followed for these high-ranking temporary placements.

Among the acting roles under scrutiny are:

• Peter Monyuku, Group Head of Communication and Marketing

• Tshepo Makola, Acting City Manager

• Andries Mucavele, Acting Head of Public Safety

• Dr Tinashe Mushayanyama, Acting Head of Social Development

• Oupa Nkoane, Acting Executive Director for Human Settlements

• Helen Botes, Acting Chief Operations Officer

• Siyabonga Nodu, Executive Head in the City Manager’s Office

Legal Limits Ignored?

The DA argues that several of these acting roles have either exceeded legal time limits or were renewed in ways that violate governance laws. According to the party, the law only allows a three-month acting period—and any extensions must be formally approved by the MEC within that timeframe. Some of these positions, the DA says, have already expired or were retroactively extended, which they claim the MEC has no legal authority to do.

“You can’t extend an acting appointment three months after it expired and call it legal,” the DA stated, calling on the MEC to reject the city’s extension applications outright.

The DA is also challenging the council’s approval of these appointments, saying there were no “special circumstances” or urgency presented to justify keeping these roles unfilled on a permanent basis for so long.

MEC Promises a Timely Review

In a letter dated May 16, MEC Jacob Mamabolo acknowledged receipt of the DA’s concerns and confirmed he has forwarded the matter to the municipality for review.

“I affirm my commitment to make a determination on the city’s applications within the 14-day period,” Mamabolo stated.

The DA insists that if the city fails to permanently fill the vacant positions, the MEC must intervene and take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with governance laws.

Why It Matters

This controversy adds to growing public pressure on the City of Johannesburg to ensure transparency and legal compliance in how it manages leadership roles. With several departments—including safety, housing, and social development—currently being led by acting officials, questions about stability and oversight are rising.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com