Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau File photo: Itumeleng English Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau File photo: Itumeleng English
Johannesburg - The City of Joburg has defended its spending of R17 million of taxpayers’ money to accommodate, transport and secure about 250 mayors from 79 cities who attended the Metropolis meeting last week.
Metropolis is an international forum of cities and metropolitan regions with more than 1 million people to explore common issues and concerns.
This week, the Joburg council cited an interview by a UK television channel with mayor Parks Tau as one of the justifications for its spending.
The city said this was obviously one of the “early spin-offs of raising the profile of the city and its leadership, at no additional financial commitment, on an international platform”.
“The greatest (opportunity created by the hosting of the Metropolis Annual Meeting event) was to change perceptions about the risk profile of the city,” said council spokesman Gabu Tugwana.
“This will translate into improved tourism and increase prospects for new jobs; further deepen (Nelson) Mandela’s principle of public volunteerism; and further enhance the image of the city as a capable host of successful big events.”
Tugwana said the city’s political leadership and Rea Vaya bus rapid transit officials had received valuable input and feedback from Mexico and Ahmadabstad in India.
The forum was held at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton for four days last week.
The council said delegates shopped in the city and this would go a long way towards economic value and contributing to the tourism industry.
Tugwana added, “The event was a good platform to globally promote the Joburg brand and showcase our positive side.”
But Mmusi Maimane, DA Joburg caucus leader, said while it was important to create a global footprint for the council, the city suffered from “hosting too many events at a cost”.
“When the item regarding hosting of the conference came to the council, the application to do so had already gone through,” he said.
“The understanding and recommendation made was that the money should not have come from the city.
“Tourism figures show that we are not doing that well, so we must legitimise the return on investment.”
Cape Town pulled out of attending the event a few days before it took place, but its spokesman, Solly Malatsi, said they were unable to send any of its senior leaders to the meeting because of an urgent full mayoral committee meeting.
Tugwana said the perception that Joburg was a dangerous and high-risk destination had been wiped from the minds of many delegates.