By Mark Ogagan
The Mayor of Johannesburg, Mr. Kabelo Gwamanda has handed in his resignation on Tuesday, 13 August, 2024, and his resignation will be effective from a date determined by the Speaker.
Gwamanda tendered his resignation despite resistance from his party, Al Jama-ah.
The 39-year-old politician, who has been the Mayor of Johannesburg since May 2023, is the ninth executive mayor of the metropolitan municipality since 2016.
His resignation means the City of Johannesburg will have its 10th mayor in eight years.
According to local reports, 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.
It was 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.
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