Joburg mayor race: These candidates are vying to replace Makhubo

Nearly a month since Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo’s death, the African National Congress (ANC) has gotten the ball rolling to find suitable individuals who can take over his post.

Makhubo, who wore the mayoral chain from December 2019, sadly succumbed to COVID-19 in July 2021, at the age of 53.

The ANC in Gauteng’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) met on Tuesday, 3 August 2021, to discuss the candidates for the coveted post and three people have since been endorsed:member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Jolidee Matongo, MMC for environment, infrastructure and services, Mpho Moerane, and chair of chairpersons in the City of Joburg, Salphina Mulaudzi.

Other individuals whose names were put forward but did not make the cut were MMC for group corporate and shared services Loyiso Masuku and ANC deputy regional chair and MMC for health Eunice Mgcini.

Masuku is the wife of former Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku, who was given the axe by Premier David Makhura, after finding that he failed to execute his functions in compliance with the constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) in his oversight of the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Jolidee Matongo the preferred candidate for Joburg Mayor

While nothing has been set in stone yet, several media outlets are reporting that Joburg’s Finance MMC Jolidee Matongo is the frontrunner and pretty much has this in the bag.

The DA in Gauteng however is losing patience and wants the process to appoint a new mayor for the country’s economic hub, to take place as soon as possible. The party’s caucus leader, Leah Knott says they will be asking Cogta MEC Lebohang Maile to force the speaker Nonceba Molwele, to convene a council meeting which would ensure the appointment of a mayor.

“We are now escalating the matter to the Gauteng MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. We have asked him to put pressure on the speaker to call for the nomination of candidates, and set a clear date for the election of the new mayor. There is the danger that should Joburg continue without a mayor for much longer, the MEC will have the grounds to put the city under administration – an outcome that no one wants”

Leah Knott, DA caucus leader