Johannesburg - Former Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau on Thursday said his party remains committed to serve Johannesburg residents and will advocate for empowerment programmes from opposition benches of the City Council.
African National Congress (ANC) cadre Tau lost his mayoral position after his party failed to retain control of Johannesburg.
The ANC ceded control to the Democratic Alliance (DA) coalition following the August 3 local government elections. But Tau remained the regional chairperson of the ANC in Johannesburg.
In a statement, Tau admitted the ANC had been dealt a blow by losing the biggest metro in South Africa and the gateway to Africa's economy.
"The year 2016 was not a great year for the ANC and the majority of Johannesburg residents who voted for the organisation to continue to lead the city," lamented Tau.
"However, we wish to assure Johannesburg residents that the ANC remains committed to continue serving them from the opposition side until such time that the organisation is sufficiently mandated to lead the city again."
The ANC has since been at loggerheads with the new Johannesburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, over his cancellation of some programmes worth R270 million the party implemented when it was in power. Mashaba is a DA member.
In his festive message to Johannesburg residents, Tau said his party "would not forget" the underprivileged.
"They are also citizens whose circumstances the ANC seeks to transform with targeted socio-economic transformation programmes such as Jozi@Work, Vulindlel'eJozi, Corridors of Freedom, JoziBread Bakeries, JoziMyBeginning, just to mention a few," Tau said.
"The ANC will continue advocating for the continuation of these empowerment programmes through municipal council processes that are in place for this."
The ANC Johannesburg regional executive committee then wished the residents of the City of Johannesburg a "safe and joyful festive season, as well as a hopeful and prosperous 2017".