Johannesburg – Al Jama-ah's councillor, Thapelo Amad, has been voted in as the City of Johannesburg's new executive mayor, following the ousting of former mayor Mpho Phalatse.
Amad was sworn in yesterday, and the big question on Joburgers' minds is how long it will last.
During his acceptance speech, he said his election marked a historic day in South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg, as the first Muslim mayor of the country's largest metropolis.
"It has nothing to do with the religion, there isn’t racial lines and we are humanity and we need to serve," he said.
Amad added that outside of political formations, communities remain in a state of joblessness, hopelessness, anger, resentment and hatred.
"We have neglected them for too long while they watch with disappointment as we fight for political control over the city. Today, we should mark the day where coalition partners and opposition parties seek to achieve unity in purpose," Amad said.
After the resignation of Herman Mashaba as City mayor in 2019, the seat of the executive mayor has been like the proverbial merry-go-round.
Mashaba said his decision was influenced by Helen Zille's readmission as federal chairperson of his former party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).
"The election of [Helen] Zille as chair of the federal council is a victory for people who are opposed to my belief systems."
Two months after Mashaba’s departure from office, the ANC's Geoff Makhubo was elected the new mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
Makhubo won the vote by a landslide, getting 137 votes to the DA's Funzela Ngobeni's 101, and the EFF's Musa Novela's 30.
Then, in 2021, Makhubo died due to Covid-19 related complications.
Makhubo was succeeded by Mpho Moerane, who also died in office following a car accident.
Then came the Democratic Alliance’s Phalatse, who, after fighting for her survival in the post after the ANC’s Dada Moreo was elected mayor for a short while, was able to claw her way back after a successful court bid.
It is third time unlucky for Phalatse, as last week she was voted out of office, paving the way for Amad’s ascendance.
The Star