The ANC in Joburg has confirmed that its treasurer general Mpho Moerane was in a critical condition in a Joburg hospital following a car crash on Sunday night.
Moerane’s accident comes as the ANC in the region prepares for its elective conference this weekend. Moerane was expected to contest for the position of party leader opposing Dada Morero for the same position.
Morero is the region’s current secretary general.
“Cde Mpho Moerane is in a critical but stable condition, receiving medical attention in hospital,” the party said.
No more details have been provided, but The Star understands that Moerane was in such a critical condition that those close to him were quite emotional.
The speaker of the Johannesburg council, Vasco da Gama, said he was shocked to hear about the accident.
“The speaker said he was alarmed and wished the former mayor a speedy recovery on behalf of his former councillors,” the city said in a statement.
In the past few months, the ANC has lost two mayors who both died after ascending to the mayorship position.
The first one was Geoff Makhubo, who died in the middle of last year due to complications related to Covid-19. The second one was Jolidee Matongo who died in a car accident after spending the day campaigning with President Cyril Ramaphosa in Soweto.
Matongo’s death came a few weeks after Makhubo’s. Moerane was the next mayor but his reign did not last because of the short amount of time he had before the 2021 local government elections.
Moerane became the talk of the town when he cried while accepting his appointment as mayor of the city. Some members of opposition parties had even advised him to pray because of the deaths of the previous mayors.