Joburg city council to elect metro’s first deputy mayor

The Johannesburg city council is set to meet on Thursday for the election of the metro’s very first deputy mayor.

The council recently passed a motion to create a completely new office, intended to serve as the municipality’s number two.

Council documents indicate that the introduction of a deputy mayor is aimed at ensuring continuous executive authority within the city administration.

Eyewitness News understands that the African National Congress (ANC) intends to have its Johannesburg leader, Loyiso Masuku, elected as the metro’s first deputy mayor.

Insiders said that the ANC will formally nominate Masuku for Thursday’s vote, who recently succeeded Dada Morero as the party’s regional leader.

But some coalition partners have expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that the ANC should not hold both the mayor and deputy mayor positions.

Meanwhile, the Finance MMC portfolio, which Masuku currently oversees, will be dissolved and merged into the office of the soon-to-be-elected deputy mayor.

The council also resolved that the deputy mayor position must be filled by a member who already serves on the mayoral committee.