Johannesburg mayor Jolidee Matongo passes away in car accident

Newly elected mayor Johannesburg Jolidee Matongo has died in a car accident at the age of 46.

News of Matongo’s passing was confirmed by the metro’s spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase on Saturday evening.

The mayor had spent the day alongside ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa in Soweto campaigning for the party ahead of the November 1 municipal elections.

Matongo was elected just over a month ago following the passing of Geoff Makhubo from COVID-19 complications.

Previously he served as the city’s Finance MMC and was a long-serving member of the ANC, as well as spokesperson for the party in the Johannesburg region.

Last month Matongo faced criticism after he mentioned in his acceptance speech that he is the son of a Zimbabwean migrant.

“I, Jolidee Matongo, the son of the late Edward Matongo, a migrant from Zimbabwe, do hereby accept the nomination for the position of Executive Mayor of our city,” said the politician. Following, the announcement, social media was flooded with xenophobic comments directed at the new mayor.

The City of Johannesburg made it clear that the 46-year-old was born in Soweto and raised in Johannesburg, in response to people who were questioning his nationality.

“We grew up with Jolideee Matongo in the [Youth League], and today, we are canvassed to reject him because his father was Zimbabwean,” said Malema, who of course was a member of the ANC himself, once. Eye Witness News