Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda’s Qualifications Face Scrutiny

Doubts have emerged after newly-elected Mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, failed to attend a planned media briefing to address the fraud allegations surrounding him. The briefing, scheduled for Saturday, did not take place as Gwamanda was absent as reported by IOL.

Imraan Moosa, a member of the Al Jama-Ah party, revealed in an interview with Kaya FM that Gwamanda’s security guards were unavailable, leading to his absence from the briefing. “Somebody just informed me that his protectors are unavailable this morning, and there are some security risks,” stated Moosa.

ActionSA has expressed concerns regarding the questionable allegations against Gwamanda and has raised doubts about his educational qualifications. “Since the allegations have surfaced, Gwamanda is nowhere to be found and was missing in action during a press conference on Saturday, where he was expected to provide explanations to Joburg residents,” said James de Villiers, spokesperson for Gauteng ActionSA.

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Gwamanda stands accused of defrauding individuals through a funeral scheme and allegedly falsely claiming qualifications he does not possess. Following Gwamanda’s election, the DA caucus in Joburg demanded that the new mayor be held accountable for the accusations of being involved in fraudulent activities.

It is alleged that through his entity, iThemba Lama Afrika, Gwamanda deceived innocent residents into investing in what appears to be a scheme consisting of an investment wing and a funeral plan. Clients who invested in the business reportedly did not receive the promised returns.

Currently, Gwamanda is in Cape Town for two days, and during his absence, Kenny Kunene, the MMC for Transport, will serve as the acting mayor. Kunene will relinquish his acting mayor responsibilities on Tuesday upon Gwamanda’s return.

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Photo: Twitter / @Kabelo Gwamanda