JUST IN: Thapelo Amad elected new City of Johannesburg Mayor

Al Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad has been elected as the Executive Mayor in the City of Johannesburg.

Amad was elected on Friday, 27 January after the Democratic Alliance’s Dr Mpho Phalatse was ousted in a motion of no confidence on Thursday, 26 January.

THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG HAS A NEW MAYOR!

Three candidates faced off for the top job in South Africa’s City of Gold.

ActionSA nominated Fundzi Ngobeni while the DA nominated Mpho Phalatse and the African National Congress (ANC), Patrotic Alliance (PA) and others backed Thapelo Amad.

A total of 138 councillors voted for Amad, 81 voted for Phalatse while Ngobeni received 46.

ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni, who raised his hand for the City of Johannesburg mayor position, wishes the newly appointed new mayor Thapelo Amad well. He adds that it's a tough job and Amad will need every support he can get to ensure efficient service delivery.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/b7nRGRlFuk

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 27, 2023

As previously reported, Dr Mpho Phalatse’s mayoral chain had been in jeopardy since the Democratic Alliance (DA) had a fall-out with the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in September 2022. This led to Phalatse subsequently being voted out, but the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg then nullified the move after it found that her removal was unlawful.

The PA offered to re-join the multi-party coalition, under the condition that it is given two MMC positions in the council. However, the DA wanted the PA to have one MMC position and a chairperson position for one of the Section 79 committees.

ALSO READ: ‘I’ve survived before’: Phalatse hopeful ahead of no confidence vote

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT AMAD:

• The new City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor was born in Soweto, Gauteng and is 39-years-old.
• He joined Al Jama-ah in 2018 after leaving the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
• He served as the MMC of Development and Planning under the ANC’s former mayor Dada Morero for only 21 days in October 2022.
• He holds a BA in Islamic sciences and a NQF Level 4 qualification in entrepreneurship as well as a NQF Level 5 qualification in gender mainstreaming in the public service from the national school of government. 

ALSO READ: Mpho Phalatse: There’s no disconnect between me and the DA