ANC-led coalition in Joburg council nominates AIC's Margaret Arnolds to contest for speaker

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC)-led coalition in the Johannesburg City council has nominated the African Independent Congress (AIC)’s Margaret Arnolds to contest the vacant speaker position.

Arnolds, who currently serves as the city’s Finance MMC, previously held the role of Speaker before joining the mayoral committee.

The council is set to elect a new Speaker on Thursday after ActionSA’s Nobuhle Mthembu was ousted last week.

Arnolds is expected to go up against the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Alex Christians for the speaker of council position.

DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said, “We are nominating Alex Christians. Councillor Christians is the former chair of chairs in the council, and we are confident that he is likely to also emerge. As the DA, we have already resolved months ago that when there is a vacancy, we will always fill a candidate.”