THE newly elected Mayor of Joburg Jolidee Matongo (46) has reportedly died in a car accident on Saturday, 18 September.
The accident is reported to have happened after the mayor was with President Cyril Ramaphosa and other ANC officials on their campaign trail in Soweto.
Details of the incident are currently still unknown. Matongo was elected mayor last month, following the death of Geoffery Makhubo, who had died due to Covid-19 complications.
Before becoming the mayor of Jozi, Matongo previously served as an MMC for Finance, under Makhubo’s administration.
Condolences have started to trickle in for the family of the mayor following the announcement of his death.
Shortly after the news of the tragic accident, President Cyril Ramaphosa through a statement said he would like to extend his heartfelt condolences to Matongo’s family, friends, colleagues and comrades, and the residents of the City of Joburg.
“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.
“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.
“Mayor Matongo has been taken from us at a time when he was totally immersed in improving conditions and creating opportunities for all the people of Johannesburg and stakeholders in the metropolitan economy.
“Like all of us, he 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.”
Action SA leader Herman Mashaba said on Twitter: “I am shocked to hear of the sudden passing of Johannesburg Mayor, Jolidee Matongo.
“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.”
Bekithemba Zulu tweeted: “Having been in the office for just over a month, City of Johannesburg Mayor Mr Jolidee Matongo has been involved in a fatal car accident.”
Sisi wama 2000 said: “He was sworn in on the 18th of August and exactly a month later, he is no more.”
