These are permanent committees that deal with council matters. They have some decision-making powers related to the legislative branch of council.

The standing committees are:

Rules

• Developing and approving rules for proceedings
• Determining focus areas in respect of councillors' responsibilities
• Allocation of membership to the various committees

Petitions and Public

• Ensuring proper and timeous responses to petitions directed to the City's departments and entities
• Ensuring enhancement of public participation, with rigorous monitoring of all public participation processes and systems
• Monitoring of the functioning of ward committees
• Ensuring incorporation of ward needs into the council

Ethics/Disciplinary

• Ensuring declarations of the financial interest committee
• Ensuring compilation of the Register of Financial Interest on an annual basis
• Considering any alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by councillors

Programming

• Considering and approving items/motions on the council agenda
• Agreeing on the allocation of speaking time for the items and motions contained in the council agenda

Public Accounts

• Provision of political oversight to financial management and accounts
• Ensuring that residents of the City of Johannesburg get "value for money"

Inner City

• Driving inner city regeneration and management initiatives, policies and programmes

Soweto Development Initiative

• Driving and managing the regeneration development of the Soweto areas

Audit

• The committee serves as a link between the council, departmental heads, internal and external auditors municipal entities
• The committee reviews the financial reporting by the external auditors as well as the activities of internal audit
• It provides independent oversight over financial management and accounts