On May 5, 2023 Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda was elected executive mayor of the country’s economic hub, Johannesburg by fellow councillors. The process for selecting the mayor was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, this infographic explores some of those twists and turns.
FEATURED: The executive mayor Kabelo Gwamanda reading his oath during the process of being sworn in. Photo: Seth Thorne
After nearly two weeks without one, Joburg has its fifth mayor in just 18 months.
Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda has been voted in as Johannesburg’s new executive mayor by councillors in a secret ballot at the City Council sitting on May 5, 2023.
Out of the 266 ballots cast Gwamanda received 139 votes, while the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Johannesburg caucus leader Mpho Phalatse got 68 votes and ActionSA’s Gauteng chairperson Funzi Ngobeni, got 59 votes.
This was the council’s fifth attempt at voting in a mayor since the resignation of Al Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad on April 24. A sitting on Tuesday, May 3 was postponed due to squabbles amongst coalition partners.
Messy horse trading
Failed negotiations among those in the former ‘multi-party coalition,’ saw the DA unable to come to an agreement with ActionSA, IFP, VF+, ACDP, UIM and PA.
In an interview with Wits Vuvuzela DA Johannesburg caucus leader Mpho Phalatse said that the reason negotiations failed is because the DA could not come to terms with the proposition by the Patriotic Alliance (PA) to nominate Kenny Kunene as mayor. “[We] could not fathom how such could be allowed,” she said.
The PA, the swing vote in council, then put their weight behind Gwamanda, alongside the ANC, EFF, Al Jama-ah, AIC, AHC, ATM, Good, PAC, Cope and APC. In return, Kenny Kunene received an executive position and now has control over the city’s transport portfolio.
Gwamanda labels this coalition as “one of national unity” which will continue to “prioritize service delivery,” arguing that regime change in the city will not negatively impact service delivery.
Former mayor Thapelo Amad said that the election of his Al Jama-ah colleague is a good thing for the city, stating that “the city is in capable hands”.
ActionSA mayoral candidate Funzi Ngobeni says that his party is happy with the working relationship with the ACDP, IFP, UIM and VF+, however it is “unfortunate that we could not get DA on board.” He says that the aims of the partners now are to be “a constructive opposition”.
Al Jama-ah councillor and newly-appointed executive mayor of the city of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda. Photo: Seth Thorne
DA councillors applauding the nomination for mayoral candidacy of councillor Mpho Phalatse (bottom left) before the elections took place. Photo: Seth Thorne
ANC Johannesburg caucus leader and newly-appointed MMC for finance Dada Morero reacting to the swearing in of Kabelo Gwamanda – the new executive mayor. Photo: Seth Thorne
DA councillors raising their hands for a headcount of the total number of councillors participating in the mayoral elections before the voting began. Photo: Seth Thorne
Johannesburg council speaker Colleen Makhubele (left) congratulating Kabelo Gwamanda (right) shortly after he was officially announced as the new executive mayor of Johannesburg. Photo: Seth Thorne
Patriotic Alliance councillor and MMC for transport in the city of Johannesburg, Kenny Kunene walking into chambers before the results were announced. Photo: Seth Thorne
ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont in conversation with Soweto Parliament leader Nhlanhla Lux at the Johannesburg City Council in Braamfontein ahead of the mayoral elections. Photo: Seth Thorne
The executive mayor Kabelo Gwamanda reading his oath during the process of being sworn in. Photo: Seth Thorne
Kabelo Gwamanda signing his declaration as the newly-appointed executive mayor of the city of Johannesburg. Photo: Seth Thorne
Newly-appointed Kabelo Gwamanda delivering his first speech as the executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg at the City Council. Photo: Seth Thorne
FEATURED: IEC officials alongside political party representatives counting the secret ballot votes at the Joburg City Council on May 5, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
The city’s deadline to elect a new executive mayor is fast approaching, and a new candidate has still not been elected.
The City of Johannesburg is still without an executive mayor following the council’s failure to elect a new mayor at its council meeting on May 2, 2023.
DA Johannesburg caucus leader Mpho Phalatse being surrounded by other DA councillors ahead of expected voting at the city council on May 2, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
Council speaker Colleen Makhubele of Cope adjourned the meeting at the Johannesburg city council in Braamfontein in the early hours of the evening, saying, “clearly we [council] are not ready to elect a new mayor today”. This was contrary to an assurance made at the beginning of the sitting that a new mayor would be elected.
The resignation of mayor Thapelo Amad of Al Jama-ah last week left the city without a mayor at its helm, and now the city inches ever closer to being put under administration as seven of the 14 days needed to find a replacement have lapsed.
Voting proceedings were disrupted a total of five times throughout the day – all for caucus breaks as spars amongst parties regarding preferred mayoral candidates continued on both sides of the aisle.
The African National Congress (ANC) led coalition is reportedly divided between nominating four separate candidates – all from different parties. Similarly, parties aligned to the “moonshot pact” failed to come to an agreement, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) wanting to field their own candidate whilst their partners opted for another. The DA has also allegedly closed the door on negotiations with the Patriotic Alliance – a crucial vote in the city’s council.
Makhubele hoped that the granting of a three-hour break would allow parties to resolve issues regarding nominations and allow for the continuation of the meeting without interruptions.
Upon return from the long break, ANC councilors were notably missing. This saw yet another adjournment. When council reconvened at around 17:30pm, Al Jama-ah requested another caucus break, to the loud dismay of opposition parties. In response, Makhubele adjourned the election to the next council sitting on Friday, May 5.
ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont described the adjournment as a “total disgrace”, arguing that the ANC and EFF “cannot even elect a mayor, let alone focus on service delivery”. Beaumont also uttered his discontent with the DA, saying that it is difficult to negotiate with partners who have “broken coalition agreements on two occasions” and “do not come to the table”.
Gauteng premier and ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi made a brief appearance in the gallery ahead of the expected voting before 18:00pm, however left hastily after the adjournment without giving comment.
ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont discussing his views on the adjournment of council on May 2, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
FEATURED IMAGE: Gauteng Premier and ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi (left) left seemingly upset about the adjournment of Johannesburg city council on May 2, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
The youth wing of Mmusi Maimane’s Build One South Africa has a vision to do away with fees.
A new political society has been registered at Wits, with its sights set on changing the dynamic of the university’s current representation of young people in decision making processes.
The Young Builders Movement (YBM), launched at the university on April 13, hopes to fill the gaps that it says other political societies on campus have fallen short of. Wits YBM chairperson Nikilitha Mxinwa says that these gaps include the choices that young South Africans have had in terms of representation – that have ultimately not allowed for their own voices to be heard.
Mxinwa says that decisions which affect the youth are made by those who do not understand or are not affected by the issues. These decisions pertain to issues of financial exclusion, fees and accommodation. YBM argues that this is because these decisions come from a “top-down” approach. He describes the society as one which takes a bottom-up approach. “Young leaders on the ground” make decisions about issues that affect them, not “from the top”, he says.
YBM national leader and Wits alumnus Henry Masuku and Mxinwa describe the society as one which can prepare students for life outside of university.
In an interview with Wits Vuvuzela, Masuku said that it does so by bringing in experts to teach its members entrepreneurial, business and leadership skills. This is aimed at “alleviating graduate unemployment”.
Like most political societies on campus, Masuku says Bosa aims to address the unsolved legacy of #FeesMustFall.
Wits YBM chairperson Nikilitha Mxinwa engages with students across the Library Lawns on April 19, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
These are systemic issues of higher education that have been widely debated at Wits over many years. Yet the YBM claims that their solutions for these issues are the ones which are “practical”. Masuku only discussed one with Wits Vuvuzela – which is a plan to implement free education, by introducing a system which taxes 1% of graduate’s monthly income once they have found employment.
The YBM is the youth wing of independent political party Build One South Africa (Bosa), formed by former DA leader Mmusi Maimane. It is inviting South African students, job seekers, and employed professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 to sign-up in person or online.
In discussions with various students engaging with the YBM on campus, many cited Maimane for their interest. First-year actuarial science student Patrick Nemasea said he prefers “Mmusi’s vision of South Africa [as compared to other political leaders]”, as it builds a country “that stays true to values”.
FEATURED IMAGE:
YBM national leader Henry Masuku sells their vision to Wits students near the Matrix on April 19, 2023. Photo: Seth Thorne
Thousands of ANC and DA protesters took to the streets of Johannesburg on Wednesday, January 26, blocking roads around Chief Albert Luthuli House.
DA supporters swarmed Gandhi square near Luthuli House while the ANC Youth League marched around the ANC’s headquarters. The former to demand action on loadshedding and the latter to ‘protect’ their party in a counter-protest. Here’s how events unfolded and how the police managed to keep control.
Since her announcement as the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Helen Zille has dominated national headlines. In this bonus episode of We Should Be Writing podcast, hosts Lulah Mapiye and Bonolo Mokonoto dissect a media meet-and-greet with the mayoral hopeful. From her extensive political résumé to her controversial public utterance, we examine why the Democratic Alliance has chosen Hellen Zille as their candidate for the 2027 local mayoral elections. Additionally, […]
