Johannesburg - The new mayor of Johannesburg, Thapelo Amad, has promised to unite all political parties in the City of Johannesburg to enable stability and undisturbed service delivery in Joburg.
Amad was elected as Johannesburg’s new mayor with 138 votes. He was backed by a number of political parties, including the ANC and the EFF.
Amad is Johannesburg’s youngest mayor and holds a number of tertiary qualifications, including a degree in Islamic studies.
The young mayor brings a new vision to the City that is more people-centred.
He has expressed the importance of ensuring that citizens are part of key decisions in the City of Joburg.
His term has several priorities, which would be to focus on service delivery, financial stability of the municipality, fraud and corruption, administrative reforms, and community participation.
“Let us see each other as servants of the people and not as adversaries. Let us treat each other with dignity and respect.
“Let us listen to one another, hear one another. We need to go back to local government basics; we must, as councillors and CoJ administration staff, embrace the back-to-basics pillars underpinned by putting people and their concerns first,” Amad said.
Sharing his vision for the city, Amad said the City of Joburg should be an inclusive city where all residents are able to access economic opportunity and develop their dreams.
His administration would also focus on youth empowerment and restoring Johannesburg to its former glory. Amad, who is a Soweto resident, said he was close to the marginalised and forgotten people of the city and sought support to ensure Johannesburg becomes a success story.
“Today I humbly ask that you all hold my hand as we purposefully unite the pressing challenges bedevilling our city. We must accept that as this administration we will not be able to achieve much if we do not work with broader society. We must form partnerships, and where they exist, strengthen them,” he said.
Amad also spoke about a capable workforce that would be able to serve communities in Johannesburg. He said the City employees should be able to deliver impeccable services as the physical faces of the City of Joburg.
The Star