The City of Johannesburg’s 27th Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting on August 10 elected councillor Jolidee Matongo (46), unopposed, as a new Executive Mayor.
The Speaker of Council, councillor Nonceba Molwele, had called the Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting in terms of Rule 16 of the Standing Rules and Orders of Council.
Councillor Matongo, who is the former Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance in the current term of office, takes over the remainder of the term following the recent passing of executive mayor, councillor Molantoa Geaff Makhubo, due to Covid-19.
The nee executive mayor is expected to announce members of his Mayoral Committee (MMCs) on August 11.
ALSO READ: Meadowlands residents get their Shoprite back
Councillor Matongo is a seasoned politician, who holds various qualifications that include a B0Tech degree in Public Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance as well as Public
Management and Development certificates. He is currently pursuing master’s degree in Public Administration.
Born in Soweto and having grown up in the streets of Dube, councillor Matongo took up political activism at a tender age of 13. He subsequently joined the Soweto Students Congress (SOSCO) and the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), which he served in various capacities, respectively.
He grew through the ranks as a youth activist until he became a member of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League wherein he served as a regional secretary, and he was later elected the regional chairperson in the Greater Johannesburg Region.
He has further served as a member of the Johannesburg ANC regional executive committee (REC) for 18 years, wherein he was the Region’s head of media and communications, and elected the region spokesperson for two consecutive terms.
Having formally joined the public service just over a decade ago, councillor Matongo was first appointed as operation manager in the Housing Department of the City. He later became the
City’s Deputy Director of Youth Development, a function that prompted the municipality to prioritise programmes that were directed particularly at youth inclusion and empowerment.
He went on to become a councillor in the Johannesburg Council ahead of his appointment by the late Mayor Makhubu as the MMC for Finance in December 2019. Since then, he has been leading the Finance Department in striking a balance between the City’s coffers and the unusual service delivery demands amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Councillor Matongo is married and lives with his family in Lenasia.
Follow Us Here:
Catch the latest news by visiting our other platforms:
