Joburg mayor rushed to hospital during council meeting

Kabelo Gwamanda has been hospitalised. In a series of unfortunate events, the City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor faces yet another setback, according to Scrolla.Africa.

After several weeks of absence from work without a clear explanation, Mayor Gwamanda delivered his long-awaited State of the City address (Soca) on Tuesday, leaving abruptly without attending a scheduled press conference.

However, on Wednesday morning, he received the news that ActionSA had filed a motion of no confidence against him, adding further pressure to his already challenging situation.

This motion comes after allegations were made during the first few weeks of his tenure, accusing the mayor of involvement in a burial society scheme that allegedly defrauded vulnerable individuals. While opposition parties claimed to possess additional evidence of potential victims, Mayor Gwamanda has yet to address these allegations.

Before that, scrutiny arose when the mayor’s CV, filed with the City of Johannesburg, revealed a lack of formal education. His party, Al Jama-ah, explained that Gwamanda dropped out of school after grade 10 but later obtained a matric certificate.

Also read: City of Johannesburg to recruit 2,000 crime-prevention wardens – announces Gwamanda

According to the mayor’s spokesperson, Mlimandlela Ndamase, Gwamanda fell ill before delivering the Soca but disregarded medical advice against proceeding with the address.

Patriotic Alliance’s Kenny Kunene, who also serves as the MMC for Transport, stated that the mayor’s hospitalisation was due to an allergic reaction.

“The mayor had taken his medication, thinking he was better. That’s why he attended the council session, expecting to sit through the proceedings and respond to the debate. However, his condition worsened, resulting in swelling. The decision to defer the council session was made by the chief whip, who deemed it inhumane to subject the mayor to further strain,” Kunene explained to Newzroom Afrika.

It is important to note that the council, not Mayor Gwamanda, ultimately postponed the post-Soca debate.

In response to these developments, Funzi Ngobeni, the leader of ActionSA in Johannesburg, revealed ongoing discussions with opposition parties, including the DA, to rebuild their coalition and garner support for removing Mayor Gwamanda from office.

As Mayor Gwamanda remains hospitalised, the City of Johannesburg faces uncertainty and challenges as the allegations and motion of no confidence loom over the municipality’s leadership.

Also read:

Kenny Kunene says Gwamanda is not running away from the media

Picture: Twitter / KabeloGwamanda

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