Joburg Residents Slam Joburg Mayor for Calling Them “Stooges” Amid Surcharge Controversy
- Joburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda sparked controversy by labelling opponents of Johannesburg's new R200 electricity surcharge as "stooges"
- Critics, including residents and netizens, condemned his remarks as unprofessional and disrespectful
- Despite claims of fairness, the surcharge has divided opinion, with residents urging better communication and transparency from the City regarding its economic impact and implementation
Reitumetse Makwea is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Pretoria, South Africa, who has covered current affairs with The Citizen News for over five years.
Source: Getty Images
The Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Clir. Kabelo Gwamanda is back in the spotlight after calling residents and those against the R200 surcharge stooges.
While defending the new electricity surcharge to level the playing field in the City's tariff structure, he also resulted in name-calling residents who were against the charge.
Residents have expressed their dissatisfaction with the surcharge since its announcement.
Gwamanda responds to backlash on the surcharge
The mayor said in a statement that the rate aimed to generate revenue essential for upgrading and maintaining Johannesburg's electricity infrastructure.
"The Democratic Alliance and its stooges are opportunistically sensationalising a sensitive matter that concerns us all. They attempt to subvert Council decisions by arousing public sentiment under false pretences to gain political mileage.
"The surcharge being introduced in Johannesburg is currently being implemented across DA-run Councils across the Country, including in Cape Town and Tshwane."
However, residents were unhappy that he could not address the issue without name-calling.
See the statement below:
Netizens call Gwamada out for name-calling
Joburg residents were not thrilled to hear Gwamada calling anyone against the surcharge and addressing it as a "stooge".
@officialngwako quickly addressed the name-calling:
"Lost me at the name calling, not necessary… address residents concerns.. that’s all we ask."
@Lebo33 also commented on the name-calling:
"Very unprofessional and disrespectful to the residents to put out a media statement with insults. Please withdraw."
@mashautn suggested the City made other provisions:
"Cut Cllr salaries by R200 every month to cover the requirement."
@vnwaneri shared the same sentiments as James:
"Dear Mayor, I am not a DA member or sympathizer, but you need to keep your comms professional and to the point. Yes, as a post paid customer, I have been paying this surcharge, but it does not make it right. We pay for electricity and that should already include your costs!"
City's sensitivity to economic pressures faced by its residents
The statement also noted that any attempt to sabotage this critical intervention would be an attempt to deliberately collapse the City's infrastructure.
"And to maintain the injustice of creating a two-tier tariff dispensation where post-paid customers pay and pre-paid customers don't.
"The split between post-paid and pre-paid customers in the City is approximately 50:50, and as such, we cannot with good conscience disadvantage one customer base in the interests of the other."
The City urges residents to familiarise themselves with the new tariff regime. An added effort is being made to educate the public on the tariff and its implementation.
ANC, COPE, EFF, Al Jamah, GOOD, and PA voted in favour of the R200 prepaid meter monthly service fee
Briefly News reported that the African National Congress, the Economic Freedom Fighters, the Patriotic Alliance, al Jamah, and GOOD voted unison to introduce a service fee.
South Africans were in an uproar after the City of Joburg's City Power announced that its residents would pay R200 monthly for their meters.
Netizens were furious that these parties voted for the service fee, and many called for it to be scrapped.
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Source: Briefly News
