Matongo preparing to hand over Joburg’s reins to first woman mayor

The City of Gold may have its first woman mayor this time next year, according to current Johannesburg mayor Jolidee Matongo.

Speaking exclusively to The Citizen about his political future, the newly installed Matongo said he was only occupying the space temporarily, while the ANC considers possibly putting forward in a woman candidate to run during the local government elections.

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As parties have slowly begun to announce their candidates for the local government elections, a growing number of them are betting on the allure of women empowerment to attract votes for the coming polls.

Matongo was voted in as the ANC’s mayoral candidate after the death of his predecessor Geoff Makhubo, who died of Covid-related complications earlier this year.

Explaining how he came to accept his candidacy, Matongo said he had agreed to hold the position as long as the ANC needed him to, but he understood that the party was considering a different direction for the upcoming elections.

“The ANC has its own processes and we agreed that I am to assist between now and the election because we have discussed that we may have to consider a female candidate as we go into the local government election, and I said I have no problem being a mayor for whatever period,” Matongo explained.

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“I believe women have to be given an opportunity to lead the city. I am here now, but the ANC always has its own things. I have availed myself between now and the end of the term and if the ANC says I must continue it will be for the ANC to make that call, but I am not the one of those guys who wants to be in a position by hook or crook.”

Joburg Mayor Jolidee Matongo

Chief whip of the ANC in the City of Johannesburg, Solomon Mogase, confirmed the party was seriously considering pushing for a woman candidate to run for mayor, but qualified that it was part of a national drive the ANC is undertaking in the coming local government elections.

He said the next mayoral candidate for the city “might be a woman” but this is subject to a rigorous selection process within the party.

“Yesterday [Monday] it was finalised as a province in terms of the list of names we have formed and sent to the IEC, and then what will happen is the regions will be allowed to go through their own processes and people will be able to say who are their nominees for the major positions,” he explained.

“There will be a time when the region will come up with three names and those names will be sent to provincial executive committee [PEC]. Then what happens is that the national office bearers will interview the nominees and then the person who comes out on top will be the official candidate.”

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Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg caucus leader, Leah Knott, confirmed the party’s first woman candidate for mayor of Joburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse, has been nominated for the top position next year.

“Mpho is a qualified medical doctor specialising in public health, as well as a committed DA member and proud South African,” said Knott.

“As you know, the DA is the only party to hold rigorous interviews of all our public representatives and we stand by the process to appoint individuals who are fit for purpose. This year’s candidates selection was no exception.”