By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda is receiving urgent medical attention at Joburg facility after falling ill during a council meeting.
Gwamanda arrived late for a debate session, with Al Jama-ah’s Imraan Moosa saying the mayor was not feeling well and would arrive late.
According to council legislation, the mayor has to be present for a debate on his State of the City Address (SOCA), which he presented on Tuesday.
The debate has since been postponed.
According to a statement released by the office of the mayor on Wednesday, it said Gwamanda had been unwell since Tuesday, the day he delivered his maiden State of the City Address (Soca).
He was seen by a medical team soon after, said the office.
The Mayor’s ill health comes as ActionSA filed a motion of no confidence against him, which is expected to be heard in council on 20 June.
The party said its motion was based on Gwamanda’s failure to clarify details surrounding criminal allegations levelled against him.
The allegations that Gwamanda had defrauded people of money through a funeral burial scheme were made by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Mpho Phalatse.
Last month, council speaker Colleen Makhubele complained that ANC and EFF mayoral committee members, as well as Gwamanda, were not attending the IDP sessions.
IDP sessions are community engagement opportunities for residents to interact with councillors.
ActionSA also accused the African National Congress (ANC)-Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) coalition of shielding Gwamanda amid the fraud allegations.