Kabelo Gwamanda is a South African politician who was the

mayor of Johannesburg The mayor of Johannesburg is the highest elected position in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Since 2000, they are the chief executive of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality council. On 16 August 2024, the council elected D ...

from May 2023 until August 2024. A member of the

Al Jama-ah Al Jama-ah (, ) is a South African political party. It was formed in 2007 by present leader Ganief Hendricks and contested the 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 national elections. The party aims to support Muslim rights and interests, though the part ...

party, he was the ninth executive mayor of the metropolitan municipality since 2016 and is currently deployed as the MMC for community development in the city of johannesburg metro.

Mayoral career

After fellow

councillor Thapelo Amad resigned as

due to pressure from coalition partners, the largest party in council, the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

(ANC), endorsed Gwamanda for the position of mayor on 5 May 2023 in order to keep its alliance with the

Economic Freedom Fighters The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African communist and black nationalist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema, and his allies, on 26 July 20 ...

(EFF), another party in council. He was elected during a council vote held via

secret ballot The secret ballot, also known as the Australian ballot, is a voting method in which a voter's identity in an election or a referendum is anonymous. This forestalls attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote ...

on that same day, receiving 139 votes out of the 266 votes. Gwamanda announced his mayoral committee shortly after his election. The Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus in council has called Gwamanda a "scammer" over allegations that he scammed residents into investing in a funeral/investment scheme through his company iThemba Lama Afrika. Gwamanda delivered his maiden State of the City Address on 6 June 2023. The following day, Gwamanda fell ill during the debate on the State of the City Address and was hospitalised. On 13 August 2024, after coming under pressure from Al Jama-ah's coalition partner, the ANC, Gwamanda announced his resignation as Johannesburg mayor. On 16 August 2024, he was replaced as mayor by

Dada Morero Sello Enoch Dada Morero is a South African politician who has been the Mayor of Johannesburg since 16 August 2024, a position which he previously held for 25 days, from 30 September 2022 until 25 October 2022 when the erstwhile Mayor, Mpho Phalats ...

, who was elected to a second, non-consecutive, term.

Arrest

Gwamanda was arrested on 20 October 2024 for fraud around an alleged funeral policy scam that he ran in 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwamanda, Kabelo Living people South African Muslims Year of birth missing (living people) Politicians from Johannesburg Al Jama-ah politicians Mayors of Johannesburg