Johannesburg set to have a new mayor as Kabelo Gwamanda resigns
Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda has stepped down as the mayor of Johannesburg, clearing the path for the ANC’s Dada Morero to take over.
The City of Johannesburg will welcome its tenth mayor in eight years following Kabelo Gwamanda’s resignation.
Despite resistance from his party, Al Jama-ah, Gwamanda finally handed in his resignation letter on Tuesday, 13 August and his resignation will be effective from a date determined by the Speaker.
According to the Mail and Guardian, African National Congress (ANC) regional chairperson in Johannesburg Dada Morero who replaced the Democratic Alliance’s Mpho Phalatse as mayor in 2022 will replace Gwamanda.
KABELO GWAMANDA RESIGNS AS JOHANNESBURG MAYOR
The South African previously reported that calls for Gwamanda to step down intensified after ActionSA placed three key conditions on its conditional support of a new government in the City of Johannesburg in July. The first condition was the removal of Gwamanda.
In an interview with Radio 702, on Monday, 12 August, Kabelo Gwamanda said it is the prerogative of political parties to decide who remains or becomes the new mayor
Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks previously indicated that Gwamanda will remain the city’s first citizen until at least 25 December 2024, even though his term ought to end in 2026.
During the interview, Gwamanda said whether he or his party or a different political party has a different view, it is not a prevailing view in the absence of a collective decision.
Meanwhile, the ANC in Johannesburg will hold a media briefing on Tuesday to provide an update on the reconfiguration of government in the municipality.
‘NO AMBITION TO BECOME A MAYOR’
During the interview, on whether or not he believes he is the right person to lead the metro municipality Gwamanda said the response should be looked at from a retrospective view.
He emphasised the fact that when he was nominated, he had no ambition to become a mayor, a member of a mayoral committee (MMC) nor an oversight committee chairperson
“My only desire at the time was that we put in place a government and administration that would look into the issues that were a big challenge in the City of Johannesburg. In particular, stabilising the administrative wing,” he said.
“In terms of who is the right candidate to lead the city, that is the prerogative of the political parties elected to form part of the City of Johannesburg council. It is not for me to either disagree or agree in any level but for the collective to take a decision and we move forward,” he added.