Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
14 August 2024 | 10:48 a.m. CAT
1-minute read

Image: News24/Lubabalo Lesolle/Gallo Images

Johannesburg­– The ANC has nominated Johannesburg Finance MMC Dada Morero to fill the mayoral position after Kabelo Gwamanda resigned on Tuesday.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks said that Morero will have the party’s full support in his position.

In 2022, Morero held the mayoral position for 25 days. He succeeded the DA’s Mpho Phalatse, who was voted out in a motion of no confidence in September of 2022, then reinstated in October of the same year, and voted out again in January 2023.

Gwamanda, a member of the Al Jama-ah party, succeeded Imam Thapelo Amad as mayor of the city and served for a year and 4 months.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks said, “In January 2023, the ANC had problems, and they relied on Al Jama-ah, who is a trusted ally of the ANC, to assist in running the city of Johannesburg.”

Gwamanda’s resignation came at the request of the ANC’s MEC as part of a plan to reconfigure municipalities in Johannesburg in preparation for the next national elections.

Many in the city directly blame the declining service delivery in Johannesburg on Gwamanda, but Hendricks says that the mayor was not responsible for the decline.

“Gwamanda, in our view, did a good job,” Hendricks said, and added that the poor service delivery could be attributed to neglect in specific wards in Johannesburg.

In addition to driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) campaign, Gwamanda received an award from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) for being the best-run municipality in Gauteng, commissioned 3 power stations, improved infrastructure and improved service delivery to disadvantaged areas.

Gwamanda led with integrity and transparency. “We [Al Jama-ah] haven’t been charged with one charge of corruption,” Hendricks said, adding that he hopes the ANC will follow the party’s example.

Additionally, Hendricks emphasised that Al Jama-ah “consolidated the smaller parties and got the numbers and kept the Zionists out of Johannesburg” and added that the experience the party gained from leading South Africa’s largest city will assist them in taking over Cape Town, “which they want to be a Zionist city.”

Kabelo Gwamanda will be redeployed as a member of the mayoral committee.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Muallima Annisa Essack.