Al Jama-ah says Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda will not step down

Kabelo Gwamanda of Al Jama-ah will remain in his role as the mayor of the City of Johannesburg.

This is according to Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks.

WILL CITY OF JOHANNESBURG MAYOR KABELO GWAMANDA RESIGN?

On Monday, ActionSA placed three key conditions on its conditional support of a new government in the City of Johannesburg, first of which is the removal of Gwamanda.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said the second condition is the immediate reversal of the R200 surcharge imposed by City Power on prepaid users.

“Thirdly, ActionSA will produce a series of motions, the purpose of which would be to position the City to turn around in critical frontline service delivery matters, including infrastructure renewal and the rejuvenation of the inner city,” he added.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Hendricks said no structure of the ANC has asked Gwamanda to resign.

Hendricks said the meeting between Mashaba and ANC representatives to deliberate on the future of the metro was from Dada Morero’s faction, whom he accused of throwing his toys out the cot because he was not elected mayor of the City of Johannesburg.

According to the Mail and Guardian, ANC’s Dada Morero who replaced the Democratic Alliance’s Mpho Phalatse as mayor in 2022 will replace Gwamanda.

Al Jama-ah spokesperson Nisa Siers told The South African that party leader Ganief Hendricks will meet with the ANC on Tuesday to discuss the touted move to remove Kabelo Gwamanda as mayor of Johannesburg.

AL JAMA-AH’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ANC

Relating how Al Jama-ah came to have its councillor, Thapelo Amad, installed as mayor, Hendricks told The South African that Gauteng Premier and ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi approached him. In exchange, Al Jama-ah wanted its priority municipal projects—such as fixing potholes and providing water—accelerated.

Hendricks said Lesufi came to him at Frene Ginwala’s funeral in January 2023. Giwala was the first speaker.

He [Lesufi] told Hendricks that they [ANC and EFF] wanted Al Jama-ah to lead [the coalition government in the City of Johannesburg]

Hendricks, the party’s sole MP, said Al Jama-ah chose Amad from the three councillors in the municipality.
After Amad resigned, Kabelo Gwamanda was elected by the council to lead the City of Johannesburg, but only after being approached by ANC heavyweights such as Jeff Radebe, Thoko Didiza, and Lesufi.

Al Jama-ah is part of the Government of National Unity and Hendricks in the deputy minister in the Department of Social Development.