By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The minority parties including the ANC in the City of Joburg seem to have decided on their preferred candidate for executive mayor of SA’ largest metro and economic hub, following Mpho Phalatse’s ousting.
DA councillor Phalatse was ousted as the mayor through a motion of no confidence on Thursday when 140 councillors voted for her ousting, while 129 councillors voted against the motion of no confidence.
Muslim minority political party and an imam, Thapelo Amad, provincial chairperson of Al Jama-ah, is the front runner to be the new mayor of Johannesburg.
Amad has been the face of party’s mayoral candidate since 2019 and performed various legislative duties in the municipality of Johannesburg.
In October 2022, former mayor, ANC chairperson Dada Morero, named Amad as the MMC of Development Planning.
He will hold the fort for Morero for six months until the party is able to fix its issues with the EFF concerning a deal that went sour that was supposed to guarantee the EFF the mayoral position in Ekurhuleni.
According to information posted on Al Jama-ah’s website, Amad holds several tertiary qualifications from various institutions.
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. He holds a ASRI future leaders’ fellowship and he is currently studying for a certificate of competence from the South African Local Government Association.
However minority parties have continued to point fingers at each other after Phalatse’s ousting in a motion of no confidence.
The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Cilliers Brink said that giving control of the portfolio to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) was not negotiable.
“Economic development was a no for us because that portfolio was held by the Patriotic Alliance before when they had a coalition with the ANC. Their MMC was fired for interfering with processes, disrespecting the divide between party and state.”
The PA’s Kenny Kunene responded angrily.
“The arrogance, the disrespect, seeing parties as 2.5% and political parties as small. Who is the DA to tell us that they are making concessions on they are willing to give us. They think they are doing us a favour.”
ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont said that there was an earlier agreement on the way forward.
“The Patriotic Alliance was at the table with this coalition and it accepted a proposal. They were on board, they publicly announced it. And then the Democratic Alliance shot down that deal.”