A buoyant Herman Mashaba took to the Johannesburg’s city hall stage on Monday night after his landslide victory as mayor and promised to put the fight against corruption and job creation high on his agenda.
He had first rushed to EFF’s spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and hugged him with jubilation as Economic Freedom Fighters and Democratic Alliance councillors started celebrating a victorious election after a 12 hour council meeting.
Mashaba chose to not deliver his inaugural speech in respect of African National Congress councillor Nonhlanhla Lettie Mthembu, who collapsed and died during the council sitting.
“I would like you to allow me to postpone my major speech to the 13th next month. This is to pay respect to our fellow councillor, this is not your loss only ANC, it is a loss to all of us,” he said.
Mashaba received 144 votes against incumbent mayor Parks Tau’s 125.
The DA administration would ensure job creation and fight corruption, he said.
“Our government will create an enabling environment for our people, especially small businesses. I know that when you’re successful, you’re able to create employment opportunities…when you’re successful you pay your taxes, and I can assure you that we’re going to run a government that would look after your money.”
Mashaba’s candidacy was marred by controversy as the EFF were unhappy with his candidacy. The red berets, who held the key to the DA ascending to power in the metro, accused Mashaba of being ‘anti-black’ following remarks Mashaba made about poor black people during an election campaign trail.
The EFF wanted Mashaba replaced, but the DA would not budge, citing internal policies on the nomination and election of candidates.
The DA trumped the ANC and won executive mayor, speaker and chief whip of council seats. This was the first time the governing party, also the oldest liberation organisation in the continent, lost control of the country’s financial capital since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
The ANC failed to get an outright majority at the country’s 27 hung councils, and subsequently lost the capital city of Tshwane and the Eastern Cape’s Nelson Mandela Bay to the DA, thanks to the EFF lending it its council vote, thus preventing the ANC from controlling the country’s key metros.
The next Johannesburg council meeting would take place next month where Mashaba would announce his executive team.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
