News24 reports that Tshepo Makola has formally become the acting City of Johannesburg manager after the council ratified the decision on Friday.

But the formalisation of his acting appointment was not all smooth sailing because the vote had to be recounted after the first poll did not add up to the number of councillors who had signed the register. Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds noted after the count that the numbers of 139 yes, 81 no and 40 abstentions amounted to 260 – not the 240 who signed the register. The bell was rerung to allow councillors time to sign the register again, but 242 names were accounted for. Instead of a physical headcount, Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu chose to perform a revote, the result of which was 139 in favour, 60 opposed and 41 abstentions. Makola, the city's chief operating officer, was informally appointed by Mayor Dada Morero on 27 December due to former city manager, Floyd Brink's departure after the Gauteng High Court found his appointment to have been irregular.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)

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