JOLIDEE Matongo was just elected as mayor of Joburg on Tuesday, 10 August.
But already, there are calls for him to go.
The calls, however, are emanating from social media under the hashtag #WeRejectMayorOfJHB on the basis that he is half Zimbabwean.
When he accepted his nomination to be mayor during Tuesday’s council, Matongo said: “I, Jolidee Matongo, the son of the late Edward Matongo, a migrant from Zimbabwe, do here accept the nomination for the executive mayor of our city.”
Today, 11 August, he’s expected to be inaugurated as mayor as announced by his members of mayoral committee team.
On Twitter, there were mixed reactions as some were against his appointment and some called out those who were against the appointment.
Krigqomoqhaxa_Khoikhoi II tweeted: “First it was Mxolisi Kaunda, a half Zambian, who was made mayor of Durban.
Now it is Matongo, a half Zimbabwean!! ... President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC must #PutSouthAfricansFirstUp.”
Nandi Cakes said: “Xenophobes are actually stupid. You want to reject a man with a South African mother but say nothing about white people and Indians who are more foreign. You guys are stupid.”
@katlegoktee1998 added: “The fact that the guy mentioned that he is a son of a migrant from Zimbabwe, should be a clear message to South African citizens about his intention with the city.”
@TopThestreets said: “I lost hope, otherwise I am totally drained. Johannesburg is gone it might also be renamed. Zimbabweans never had our interests. They are here to milk and take from us.”
@i_AmLornah said: “I love my foreign people but I love my fellow flag of South Africa even more. Imagine if the land would be expropriated, surely there’ll be beneficiaries that are not South Africans. The root of poverty and unemployment in this country is rooted from the overpopulation.”
Speaker of council Nonceba Molwele, during Tuesday’s media briefing, addressed the issue of the new mayor being a son of a migrant.
“I wanted the executive mayor to first respond on the question of being the son of a migrant. He has outlined the status of migrants, which I think is important especially for the citizens, because there is a perception out there that says the executive mayor is not a citizen (of Mzansi).
“I want to put it into perspective. The executive mayor has been born and bred in the country, in Joburg in particular.”
She said he has been in different structures that fought for liberation.
