By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
DA councillor Mpho Phalatse has been elected executive mayor of Johannesburg, SA’s richest and biggest city, during a marathon inaugural council meeting on Monday.
Phalatse was elected into the hot seat with 144 votes, beating ANC councillor and former Joburg mayor Mpho Moerane who received 121 votes.
Phalatse says she is honoured to be the first woman to be mayor of Johannesburg.
She adds that the country’s democracy has definitely matured, given the fact that with a coalition government, she was able to be elected into office amassing double the number of votes that the DA had received in the elections.
The DA’s Vasco da Gama is the new speaker of the City of Johannesburg with 147 votes cast in his favour.
Da Gama was up against the ANC’s Eunice Mgcina – who had received two nominations. She got 118 votes.
Meanwhile ActionSA Herman Mashaba confirms that his party has voted for Phalatse for mayor. He says there was no way they could have voted for the ANC.
Mashaba, however, confirms that there is no DA coalition in Johannesburg. He says should the DA want a stable government in the metro, it should talk to the smaller parties and the EFF who have voted for DA in Joburg.
Counting by IEC officials took place under the watchful eye of party agents earlier, the announcement was made by the acting City Manager Floyd Brink who has presided over proceedings.
Born to two parents who were both educators, hard work and excellence were instilled in Mpho at a very young age. She matriculated in 1994, and subsequently secured admission at the University of Witswatersrand (Wits) to study Chemical Engineering in 1995. However, after much self-reflection and a desire to focus on a career that was more people oriented, during her second years at Wits, Mpho started her journey towards becoming a doctor at the Sefako Makgatho University and MEDUNSA.
In 2005, Phalatse became qualified as a medical doctor and started an internship at Tembisa Hospital. This was followed by community service in Hammanskraal, where she offered services at Jubilee Hospital as well as various clinics within the area.
During her community service year, Mpho enrolled for project Management Studies through Cranefield College and now holds an advanced diploma and postgraduate diploma in Project Management and Programme Management.
She is also a Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME) with the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (ABIME).
Phalatse went on become a DA PR councillor in Johannesburg with the aim of contributing towards the repair and restoration of Alex Township with the intention of re-establishing her business, but subsequently gave it all up when she was asked to serve as the member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development.
She’s a single mother of three children, aged five, eleven and eighteen, and enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking, taking long drives, and hiking in serene contexts for quiet meditation.