JUST IN: Joburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo killed in a car accident

The newly-elected Mayor of Johannesburg, Jolidee Matongo (46), was killed in a car accident on Saturday.

It is believed he died in a car accident on Saturday, hours after participating in an ANC electioneering programme with President Cyril Ramaphosa in Soweto.

I am shocked to hear of the sudden passing of Johannesburg Mayor, Jolidee Matongo.

My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the ANC.

Politics must always come last in these moments. He was taken far too soon.

— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) September 18, 2021

ALSO READ: ANC picks MMC Jolidee Matongo for Joburg Mayor

A statement was expected to be issued on Saturday night.

Newly elected Mayor of @CityofJoburgZA comrade Jolidee Matongo will be remembered for his commitment to get to the people! Our team of volunteers have been actively working with him in areas so that we get people #vaccinated

A sad loss for the Joburg! @matongo_jolidee https://t.co/dlxnFoKL5C

— Muslim Association of South Africa (@MuslimAssocSA) September 18, 2021

Death is a part of us every second!

SABC News is announcing to untimely passing of the @CityofJoburgZA Mayor @Jolidee_matongo

Condolences to the family of @Jolidee_matongo, friends & colleagues

Wow! 💔 pic.twitter.com/W7nkCynJdk

— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) September 18, 2021

He had been appointed as mayor on 10 August and served in the position for just over a month.

Matongo had been elected unopposed as Joburg mayor, succeeding Geoff Makhubo, who died in July of Covid-19 complications.

ALSO READ: Malema, Maimane admonish xenophobia directed at Matongo

He served as the MMC for Finance under Makhubo. He had risen through the ranks, from serving as a member of the Soweto Student Congress and the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) before moving on to serve as the regional head of communications in the ANC for eight years.

He lived in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.

Last month Matongo faced criticism after he mentioned in his acceptance speech that he is the son of a Zimbabwean migrant.

ALSO READ: Malema, Maimane admonish xenophobia directed at Matongo

“I, Jolidee Matongo, the son of the late Edward Matongo, a migrant from Zimbabwe, do hereby accept the nomination for the position of Executive Mayor of our city,” said the politician. Following, the announcement, social media was flooded with xenophobic comments directed at the new mayor.

The City of Johannesburg made it clear that the 46-year-old was born in Soweto and raised in Johannesburg, in response to people who were questioning his nationality.

“We grew up with Jolideee Matongo in the [Youth League], and today, we are canvassed to reject him because his father was Zimbabwean,” said Malema, who of course was a member of the ANC himself, once.