Mpho Moerane has been sworn in as the new mayor of Johannesburg. Moerane served as a member of the mayoral committee for environment and infrastructure services under late mayor Jolidee Matongo and during the tenure of former mayor Geoff Makhubo.
Matongo was killed in a car accident after campaigning with President Ramaphosa two weeks ago. Makhubo died from Covid-19 in July.
On Thursday, the ANC’s provincial chairman David Makhura said the metro needed a new mayor urgently to address service delivery challenges.
“When the ANC was filling the vacancy for the mayor, Mpho Moerane was the second amongst those who were interviewed and the feedback we got from the national officials was that, amongst the three who were very competent to be mayor, at that time the preference was Jolidee Matongo.”
Moerane has been tipped as the ANC’s preferred mayoral candidate for the City of Joburg in the upcoming elections in a month’s time.
Moerane has retained all MMCs in their posts, saying that he was doing so to advance continuity. He said that he would continue where Matongo left off. “We must continue to wage the war to accelerate the delivery services to all the residents of our city. We must continue with the accelerated service delivery programme started by Mayor Makhubo and duly followed by Mayor Matongo in ensuring that services are rendered. We must continue to hold officials accountable.”
[Photo: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)]