DA threatens legal action if acting appointments in Joburg aren’t fixed

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched legal action against the City of Johannesburg, accusing it of violating governance laws by keeping senior officials in acting positions beyond the legal timeframe. The party is also demanding urgent intervention from Gauteng’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC.

This comes after the City Council passed a resolution on 8 May 2025 to retroactively approve and extend the acting terms of seven top officials — including the Acting City Manager. The DA argues these positions have exceeded the maximum three-month legal limit, making the appointments unlawful.

The DA is calling for the immediate resignation of all affected officials unless proper appointment procedures are followed. The party also insists that the MEC must formally reject the City’s attempt to legitimise these expired terms.

? The DA in Johannesburg has taken legal action against the City of Johannesburg for its unethical appointments in senior municipal positions. The abuse of governance in Johannesburg is destroying the future of our once beautiful city.

Read more here: https://t.co/8ivY3lncoq pic.twitter.com/X0sbcjJbQB

— DA Gauteng (@DAGauteng) May 14, 2025

According to municipal regulations, acting roles may not exceed three months unless extended once by the MEC under “exceptional circumstances.” The DA maintains no such justification has been provided in this case, making the extensions both unconstitutional and illegal.

DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader Cllr Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku criticised the City for failing to permanently fill key positions despite having had ample time. She accused the administration of showing “a total disregard for the rule of law.”

The party has warned that unless corrective action is taken by Friday, 16 May 2025, it will consider approaching the courts for further legal relief.

“This governance failure is exactly why we’ve tabled a Motion of No Confidence in Executive Mayor Dada Morero,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku added.

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com

Sourced:Polity

Picture: IOL