Joburg mayor’s rejection part of ‘malicious Afrophobic campaign’, says ANC

The ANC Johannesburg region has lambasted those questioning the newly elected City of Johannesburg mayor Jolidee Matongo’s citizenship.

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The party on Wednesday released a statement saying that it was aware of a “malicious afro-phobic campaign against the people’s mayor of Johannesburg titled: “#WeRejectMayorOfJHB” on social media.

It said the hashtag was generally led by faceless people and therefore did not represent the people of Johannesburg.

“Based on our investigation, these are politically aligned paid-up tweets to purport aspersions on the executive mayor through propaganda that seeks to mislead society and characterise the executive mayor as a foreigner in his motherland,” reads the statement.

“The executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Jolidee Matongo, is a 46-year-old, born and bred in Dube, Soweto, South African.”

The party provided a short history of his schooling career from primary and how his political activism started.

However, not all who joined the hashtag questioned his citizenship. Some, including ActionSA leader and former mayor of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba, were rejecting the new mayor against the backdrop of his political party, the ANC.

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He tweeted that the Matongo was a representation of the past mayors from the ANC in the city.

“He represents more of the same,” reads Mashaba’s tweet.

“He will do nothing to fight corruption within his own ranks, service delivery will continue to worsen and the people of Joburg will be put last as he and his cadres fight for one last supper before the elections.”

The ANC, however, has made calls upon public servants, the residents of Johannesburg and all sectors of society to work with the appointed mayoral committee, led by mayor Matongo, to deliver services and better the lives for the people of Johannesburg.