CITY of Johannesburg mayor Jolidee Matongo has died following a horror car crash on Saturday evening.
Matongo, 46, was elected Joburg mayor last month after the incumbent Geoff Makhubo died from Covid-19 related complications.
Earlier on Saturday morning, Matongo attended the ANC program in Soweto which was led by party President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the Local Government Elections voter registration weekend.
Ramaphosa kicked off the party’s election campaign for the upcoming municipal elections in Soweto and was accompanied by the new Joburg mayor, including Gauteng Premier David Makhura and other government officials.
Matongo served as the MMC for Finance under Makhubo.
He also served as a member of the Johannesburg ANC’s regional executive committee for the past 18 years.
He was currently pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration.
Matongo was in possession of several qualifications, which include a B-Tech degree in Public Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance as well as Public Management and Development.
Details are unclear at this stage of the cause of the accident.
Ramaphosa has paid tribute to Matongo, saying it’s a tragedy he can’t being to comprehend.
The president was on the campaign trail alongside the mayor in Soweto just hours before the incident.
“It is hard to comprehend this tragedy, given the vitality and passion with which Mayor Matongo interacted with me and residents of Soweto so shortly before his death,” Ramaphosa said in a statement issued by the Presidency.
“Nothing could prepare any of us for this sudden loss, which has deprived our nation’s economic centre of its second executive mayor in two months.”
Ramaphosa added: “Like all of us, he [Matongo] was looking forward to the forthcoming election, and we saw in person today that he had put his heart and soul into mobilising the people of the city to make their voices heard on 1 November.”
“The time we spent together has been rendered a priceless treasure given his untimely and traumatic passing. May his soul rest in peace.”
Paying tribute to Matongo on Sunday, ANC Greater Johannesburg regional secretary Dada Morero said Matongo played a key role in stabilising the governance and systems in the metro towards a financially sustainable City of Johannesburg.
His key focus as the executive mayor was on the Accelerated Service Delivery Programme which was underway across the city, said Morero.
“Comrade Jolidee Matongo’s passing is a great loss to the Movement, and society at large. We are forever grateful for his selfless contribution to the freedom of the people of South Africa and the enhancement of service delivery within the City of Johannesburg,” he said.
“To this end, the ANC conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, the City of Johannesburg and the entire liberation movement. We wish them strength and fortitude during this difficult time.”
ActionSA and former Joburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba, said he was shocked to hear of Matongo’s sudden passing.
“My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the ANC. Politics must always come last in these moments. He was taken far too soon,” said Mashaba.
- This is a developing story.
