The GOOD party on Monday welcomed its national chairperson and City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Councillor Matthew Cook's election as CoJ's Finance Section 79 Oversight Committee chairperson.

GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron said Cook’s appointment is a recognition of his capabilities and a “critical opportunity” to help restore stability, transparency, and accountability in the City’s finances.

“As GOOD, we reaffirm our commitment to putting the needs of residents first and to building cities that are ethical, accountable, and inclusive,” he said.

He pointed to years of leadership vacuums and financial mismanagement in the City, noting that as part of the new oversight leadership, the GOOD party would work closely with other parties to bring “much-needed change and stability” to South Africa’s economic center.

Following his election, Cook stated that “for too long”, the City’s finances had been weakened by “waste, inefficiency, and poor oversight".

“We cannot build the Johannesburg we all want, a city of opportunity, fairness, and dignity, if our money is leaking away through unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure.

“That era must come to an end. As the newly elected Finance Chairperson, I will drive a programme of accountability, reform, and transparency,” he promised.

He said residents should know exactly where their money had been lost and what was being done about it.

“…we cannot simply point fingers. We must fix the system. That means addressing the persistent failures in billing and revenue collection. It means ensuring that entities like City Power, Joburg Water, Pikitup, and JOSHCO are fully accountable for every cent they spend.

“It also means pushing for standard operating procedures that prevent budget adjustments from automatically creating unauthorised expenditure,” he said.