CoJ allegedly refuses to help DA PR Councillors with food parcel requests

19 May 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply concerned that City of Johannesburg (CoJ) officials are allegedly refusing to assist DA PR Councillors with food parcel requests.

I have been informed that all PR Councillors within  the Johannesburg Central Constituency were allegedly refused assistance by officials from the Social Development Department at the CoJ, while requests to the Provincial Department of Social Development remain unanswered.

When the PR councillors approached the officials at CoJ they were informed that they have to submit their requests via the ANC Ward Councillors or were directly told that they will not assist DA PR Councillors. This is in direct contravention of Schedule 2 of the Code of Conduct for Municipal staff members inter alia Section 2(b) perform the function of the office in good faith, diligently, honestly and in such a way that the spirit, purport and objects of section 50 are promoted; and (e) act impartially and treat all people, including staff members, equally without favour or prejudice.

Furthermore, we have been reliably informed that food parcels are allegedly being distributed by the ANC Councillors to ANC members, while other members of the community who are in desperate need of food are not given any assistance.

It is not uncommon for the ANC government to refuse to assist DA PR Councillors as this has been going on for years.

The DA is calling on the CoJ to ensure that no food parcels are given to councillors to distribute and that the officials in the Social Development Department oversee this process.

Furthermore, we would also like to remind the ANC councillors that instructing CoJ officials to not assist with food parcel requests from DA PR Councillors is a contravention of the Councillors Code of Conduct.

Issued by SergioIsa dos Santos, DA Gauteng Constituency Head for Johannesburg Central, 19 May 2020