AIC’s Margaret Arnolds is the new Joburg City Council Speaker

Johnathan Paoli

African Independent Congress councillor Margaret Arnolds was elected Joburg Council Speaker on Monday following the dismissal of Colleen Makhubele from her position by her party – Cope.

City manager Floyd Brink made the announcement on Monday and said in the event of only one candidate being nominated, the presiding officer must declare that candidate duly elected, and that the ANC-EFF-PA coalition majority nominated Arnolds for the position.

Makhubele was removed from her position, after she joined and was elected leader of the newly formed alliance, the South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA), allegedly, without the party’s permission.

Her removal came hot on the heels of a ruling by the High Court in Johannesburg, which nullified the appointment of City Manager Floyd Brink.

However, the DA boycotted Monday’s sitting and said that it was an example of fiscal waste.

The DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said that her party will