ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has praised the 'wisdom' the Freedom Charter as he congratulated new New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The late former president, Nelson Mandela, and the ANC’s Freedom Charter were referenced at the mayoral inauguration of one of the United States’ largest cities.
Zohran Kwame Mamdani was inaugurated as New York City Mayor on New Year’s Day, also becoming the first mayor of the city to be sworn in on the Quran.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was in jubilant spirits on social media, congratulating Mamdani and praising South African “wisdom”.
‘To all who live in it’
Mamdani was elected in November, becoming the youngest-ever mayor of the Big Apple and its first Muslim leader.
The 34-year-old Democrat was born in Uganda to Indian parents, and thanked his family “from Kampala to Delhi”.
He spent several years of his childhood in Cape Town and referenced the lasting impact the nation had on his upbringing.
In his inauguration speech, Mamdani asked his gathered supporters ‘Who New York City belonged to?’
“Well, my friends, we can look to Madiba and the South African Freedom Charter. New York belongs to all who live in it,” he said.
Mbalula beamed with pride, celebrating the acknowledgement of historical efforts.
“What shines bright about our country are our ideas such as the Freedom Charter.
“This speech by our brother Mamdani affirms our long history of solidarity with progressive forces in the US, and we congratulate him in his victory as Mayor of New York.
“What a moment in history and an affirmation of the collective wisdom of our people, whose blood, sweat and tears, was the ink which wrote the Freedom Charter,” posted Mbalula.
Executive orders
Mamdani was elected on the back of a host of progressive policy ideas, most notably access to affordable housing.
“Those in rent-stabilised homes will no longer dread the latest rent hike — because we will freeze the rent,” he stated at his inauguration.
Mamdani has since signed seven executive orders in two days, including the formation of a task team to “expedite processes to facilitate the most efficient production of affordable housing”.
Other executive orders from his first day in office include protections for tenant rights and leveraging city land to accelerate housing opportunities.
His first executive order was to revoke a host of executive orders signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams, between 26 September 2024 and 31 December 2025.
