President mourns the passing of Joburg Mayor – “May his soul rest in peace”
JOBURG – “It is hard to comprehend this tragedy, given the vitality and passion with which Mayor Matongo interacted with me and residents of Soweto so shortly before his death."
Jolidee Matongo, the newly elected Executive Mayor of the City of Joburg, has passed away.
Matongo was elected unopposed as mayor on August 10, following the death of previous Executive Mayor Geoff Makhubo in July this year.
Mayor Matongo, aged 46, passed away in a motor vehicle accident today, Saturday, 18 September 2021.
The incident occurred after Mr Matongo had participated in a local government voter registration drive in his birthplace, Soweto, alongside President Ramaphosa.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) September 18, 2021
Prior to serving as Executive Mayor, Matongo was the City of Johannesburg’s MMC for finance.
Matongo was at an event in Soweto this afternoon, with President Cyril Ramaphosa, and was fatally injured in a motor vehicle accident on his way home. President Ramaphosa said, “It is hard to comprehend this tragedy, given the vitality and passion with which Mayor Matongo interacted with me and residents of Soweto so shortly before his death.”
“The time we spent together has been rendered a priceless treasure given his untimely and traumatic passing. May his soul rest in peace.”
Mayor Matongo, aged 46, passed away in a motor vehicle accident today, Saturday, 18 September 2021.
The incident occurred after Mr Matongo had participated in a local government voter registration drive in his birthplace, Soweto, alongside President Ramaphosa.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) September 18, 2021
Earlier in the day Matongo had tweeted pictures of himself with President Ramaphosa, and other members of the ANC at the Soweto event.
His latest tweet read:
Mr President addresses the community of Naledi in Soweto#RegisterToVoteANC
🖤💚💛✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿Make Your Mark pic.twitter.com/p9NY9FHhPd— ANC Greater Johannesburg Region (@ANCJHB) September 18, 2021
Tributes for Matongo poured in on Twitter, With ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba saying that at times like these, politics should ‘come last’.
I am shocked to hear of the sudden passing of Johannesburg Mayor, Jolidee Matongo.
My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the ANC.
Politics must always come last in these moments. He was taken far too soon.
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) September 18, 2021
This is a developing story. Updates will be published as they become available.
