ANC wins Johannesburg Mayoral election

Geoff Makhubo of the ruling African National Congress was elected the new mayor of Johannesburg.

Makhubo was elected at a Johannesburg council meeting on Wednesday.

Last week’s vote was delayed when Speaker Vasco da Gama stated that legal opinion was needed on the election process.

The battle for Johannesburg was settled on Wednesday. Needing 135 votes to seize control of a majority, the ANC’s nominee Geoff Makhubo squeaked home with 137 in his favour. The ballot was decided in the first round of counting, and the party have ended up with a majority of six councillors in the mayoral vote.

The flimsy lead should hold out until the 2021 Municipal Elections. The DA have now lost two metros they earned in 2016, after their coalition also collapsed in Nelson Mandela Bay. This is a dark day for the Blues, but all the talk will be about “Mayor Makhubo” for now.

DA’s Herman Mashaba vacated the position after he tendered his resignation in October.