Johannesburg - The besieged ANC has retained control of the Ekurhuleni metro after former deputy minister of trade and industry Mzwandile Masina was elected as executive mayor, beating his DA rival Ghaleb Cachalia by more than 10 votes.
Council Speaker Patricia Kumalo announced the results at about 4.40pm after the 224 councillors took to the ballot to decide the metro’s next mayor.
Masina, who is the ANC Ekurhuleni chairman, received 117 votes against Cachalia’s 106. The ANC councillors erupted into song and dance soon after Kumalo confirmed Masina as the duly elected mayor.
The ANC managed to hang onto the metro - the only one not under DA control in Gauteng -after striking a coalition pact with the AIC and PAC. The Tshwane and Joburg metros fell under the DA following the hotly-contested August 3 municipal elections.
By Tuesday afternoon, Masina was expected to address the residents of Ekurhuleni outside the council chambers in Germiston, before making his inaugural speech as executive mayor.
The election of the chief whip is also expected to take place on Tuesday.
@luyolomkentane
Political Bureau