Johannesburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, caused a stir in the City council chambers when he unexpectedly fainted during a heated debate surrounding his State of the City Address.
Kabelo Gwamanda faints during debate on State of City Address
In a statement, the City explained Gwamanda had been feeling unwell since Tuesday morning.
Despite medical advice to rest, he chose to attend the scheduled council gathering.
However, his condition worsened during Wednesday’s debate, prompting the medical team present to recommend immediate medical attention and observation.
“Sadly, during [Wednesday’s] debate, his condition deteriorated and the advice of the medical team on stand-by to attend to him has been that he be excused immediately and presents himself to a medical facility for urgent treatment and observation,” the City explained.
Details about Gwamanda’s condition were unclear when this article was published.
This is a developing story.
The rotating Joburg mayoral seat: Gwamanda faces no-confidence motion
ActionSA Caucus Leader, Funzi Ngobeni, linked the motion of no-confidence against Mayor Gwamanda to allegations raised in a recent Carte Blanche exposé.
The program claimed that Gwamanda was involved in fraudulent activities through a funeral scheme and raised concerns about his academic qualifications.
Ngobeni expressed disappointment in the mayor’s silence on these charges, suggesting that it indicated a reluctance to engage with the media and address the concerns of Johannesburg residents.
Action SA has held discussions with various political parties, including the IFP, FF Plus, ACDP, UIM, and the DA, in an attempt to garner support for the motion of no-confidence.
However, the DA has yet to respond to these requests. Ngobeni emphasised the importance of repairing the reputational damage caused by the allegations and restoring confidence in the multi-party coalition project at a local level.
The motion of no-confidence is scheduled to be heard in the council between 20 and 21 June 2023.
Since the Carte Blanche exposé, Mayor Gwamanda has not addressed the allegations publicly or provide any assurances to the council and Johannesburg residents.
Ngobeni expressed concerns that the matter has been treated as an internal issue, with coalition partners shielding Gwamanda from unscripted interactions with the media.