On 3 July 2025, the Johannesburg City Council re-elected Margaret Arnolds of the African Independent Congress (AIC) as Speaker, following the removal of ActionSA’s Nobuhle Mthembu through a successful motion of no confidence. This marks Arnolds’s second term in the role she previously served as Speaker before stepping down in 2024 to become the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance under Mayor Dada Morero, as part of the ANC led Government of Local Unity. Her return signals a further consolidation of power by the coalition, which includes the ANC, EFF, IFP, PAC, and smaller parties. Arnolds won the Speaker vote with 137 votes, defeating DA’s Alex Christians and the UDM’s Yongama Zigebe. In line with council rules, she resigned from her Finance MMC post upon reassuming the Speaker position. Her reinstatement is seen as an effort to restore order and cohesion in a divided council, with Arnolds vowing to uphold legal compliance, improve oversight, and reinforce the stability of the coalition government.
Photo credit: CoJ/X
Reference: https://www.enca.com/top-stories/margaret-arnolds-elected-joburg-council-speaker-again
Author: Boikanyo Nkwatle
