Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, has resigned, submitting his resignation to the Speaker of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council after weeks of mounting public pressure.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Gwamanda said he had submitted his resignation to the council speaker.
“As the youngest mayor of Johannesburg, I am humbled by the opportunity to have led this City and to have stabilised it financially and administratively, following the collapse of the multiparty coalition government,” he said.
Gwamanda said he would “continue to serve the people of Johannesburg as a councillor”.
Gwamanda’s resignation follows increasing calls from civil society groups, including the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), for more accountable and effective leadership in Johannesburg.
Wayne Duvenage, CEO of OUTA, welcomed the resignation, describing it as “long overdue” and emphasising the urgent need for visionary leadership to address the city's ongoing issues.
“Johannesburg has suffered from poor financial management and deteriorating infrastructure for far too long,” Duvenage stated. “We need a leader who can inspire the residents and work collaboratively with civil society to bring about meaningful change.”
Gwamanda’s tenure was marked by criticism over the city’s declining service delivery, financial mismanagement, and the overall instability of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council. His resignation adds to a growing list of mayors who have struggled to maintain their positions in a city plagued by political infighting and coalition disputes.
In the wake of Gwamanda’s departure, the ANC has put forth its regional chairperson, Dada Morero, as mayoral candidate. This is expected to be made official at the party’s regional executive committee on Tuesday afternoon.
However, Duvenage and others have expressed concerns about simply shifting existing officials into new positions without addressing the underlying issues that have led to Johannesburg's current state.
“Replacing one leader with another from the same group of individuals who have contributed to the problem is not the solution,” Duvenage remarked. “Johannesburg needs a leader with the moral courage to tackle corruption and financial mismanagement head-on, with the full backing of the political powers.”
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Council is expected to hold a media briefing soon to outline the way forward, but the city's future remains uncertain as it grapples with leadership turbulence and the pressing need for effective governance.
IOL