Condolences pour in for Mpho Moerane as third Joburg mayor dies in less than a year

Everson Luhanga and Kamogelo Olaitan

Last year in a period of two months, the City of Joburg buried two mayors.

The first was mayor Geoff Makhubo who died in July 2021 from Covid-19 complications.

Makhubo was replaced by Jolidee Matongo who served the city for only 38 days when he passed away in a car accident.

In October 2021 the ANC and its coalition partners in the City of Joburg agreed to endorse Mpho Moerane as their mayoral candidate.

On Wednesday he became the third man from the ANC to have worn the City of Joburg’s mayoral chain to have died.

Moerane served the City from 1 October to 1 November 2021 when local elections were scheduled and the DA took over power.

The news of his death was confirmed by the Moerane family spokesperson Mike Maile on Wednesday evening.

Moerane had been in hospital for over a week after being involved in a serious car accident in Sunninghill, north of Johannesburg.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, Maile said: “He sadly did not respond positively to treatment and with heavy hearts and deep sorrow, we confirm we lost our beloved Mpho at 17:54 and his passing has deeply pained us.”

Maile also spoke about the pain of receiving the false news of Moerane’s death not once but twice this week from social media users. 

“It’s unfortunate that Mpho was killed many times before his death today,” he said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa sent his condolences to Moerane’s family.

In a statement Ramaphosa said Moerane was an entrepreneurial, multi-skilled leader who placed his talents and creative energy at the disposal of Joburg citizens by moving into public office with vast experience as a business owner and, earlier in his life, as an artisan.

“We will miss his contribution to his political home, the African National Congress, and to the development of Johannesburg as one of our country’s and continent’s most important economic and cultural centres.”

Moerane is survived by his wife Fikile, four children, his mother, and his siblings.

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