MUSICAL CHAIRS
Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda voted in as latest mayor of Joburg
After more than a week of Johannesburg not having a mayor, council voted in Kabelo Gwamanda as the ninth mayor of Johannesburg since 2016.
Soweto-born Kabelo Gwamanda was voted in by 139 councillors, the DA’s Mpho Phalatse received 68 votes, ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni 59 votes and there were no spoilt votes.
He is the ninth mayor of Joburg since 2016. The eight to date are: Parks Tau (2016), Herman Mashaba (2016/19), Geoff Makhubo (2020/21), Mpho Moerane (2021), Jolidee Matongo (2021), Mpho Phalatse (2021/22), Dada Morero (2022) and Thapelo Amad (2023).
Amad is also a member of the Al Jama-ah party, with three seats in the metro.
[WATCH] New City of Joburg Executive Mayor being sworn in. #JoburgCouncil pic.twitter.com/Pxj2lz41jE
— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) May 5, 2023
Speaking to Al Jama- ah leader Ganief Hendricks, he explained that Gwamanda was well-equipped for the position.
He said Gwamanda was an advisor to his office. Gwamanda was also an adviser for the executive mayor during the tenures of Geoff Makhubo, Jolidee Matongo and Mpho Moerane. He is the secretary of the minority parties in council.
Council proceedings started at 10:30 am and this time around there were only minor delays. The council initially reached a quorum with 252 councillors but after a final headcount was done 258 were confirmed to be present.
Nominations for the City of Joburg Executive Mayor are in:
Funzi Ngobeni- ActionSA
Mpho Phalatse- DA
Kabelo Gwamanda- Al Jama- ah#joburgcouncil pic.twitter.com/bO5Y1QboWI— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) May 5, 2023
Speaker Colleen Makhubele, however, confirmed that only 266 councillors cast their votes.
In a statement, the DA took a stab at the ANC and EFF alliance, saying that it “regrets the decision of the majority of Johannesburg City Councillors to double down on the disaster of installing ANC-EFF puppet mayors incapable of governing the City with competence, public trust, and stability”. DM
This is a developing story and may be updated
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This would have been a poisoned chalice for the DA, who must be secretly pleased with the outcome. The city probably needs to hit the bottom before the voters will see the light.
One despairs of the electorate in Jo’burg ever seeing the light. Give the DA an overall majority and one gets Cape Town and the Western Cape. If the electorate want to elect minnows to the Jo’burg council, then you get the shambles that is Jo’burg today.
The DA were not sensible or visionary in trying to accommodate and strike a deal with their coalition partners – they are also too arrogant and hence poor Johannesburg City will continue to suffer the effect of mismanagement and corruption under the ANC / EFF rule.
We are fortunate to have such an abundance of young talent – capable of running a multi-billion organisation.
And the tragicomedy continues.
Another Mickey Mouse Mayor. What more can I say?
This is called a “gaffe” and we have so many of them in SA – in fact, daily
It just shows how little regard the ANC and EFF and other no name brands care for the Constitution and voters. For them it’s only about staying in power so they can keep their snouts in the feeding trough.
The EFF stance of anything but the ANC now only with the ANC, anything bit Zuma now Zuma’s our friend, flip flop wobble wobble is starting to count. In many by elections this year the EFF got less than 10 votes. They are going down galub glub glub glub.
So Sharia Law it is then?
About time we had a City Council who cared about the city and its ratepayers, who are not customers, but employers of these people who should be honoured to work to make the City great again. Unfortunately ratepayers problems seem to have little interest shown by these councillors who are there for their own self interest.
Wake up, it’s the City Council, not a game show.
Let’s not ignore the fact that the DA and Action SA are unable to get together for the good of SA, as I see it the DA has to shoulder the blame. It’s all very well blaming the electorate but the electorate won’t change and as the “Truth Saying” goes, “The DA can’t change the electorate, so the DA has to change to get a different outcome”. Rationalising that it would have been a poisoned chalice if the DA won doesn’t work for me. Standing back while the ANC/EFF break SA isn’t going to change anything!
Some food for thought for both the DA and ActionSA
quote: “The DA can’t change the electorate, so the DA has to change to get a different outcome”.
Really, the ‘DA has to shoulder the blame’. I strongly disagree with you. The DA has every right to take a firm stance with its coalition partners. The DA has actually achieved real success where it is in charge and the likes of ASA need to toe their line.
give him less than three months!
Another weekend special !!
another useful goat that no doubt will bend to the will of his sponsors.
The ANC/EFF Cabal just can’t bear to think of the DA or Action SA making a good job in the council so they persist in kicking the can down the road with incapable mayoral candidates selected from inconsequential minority political parties. When we will madness stop!