Former mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Moerane, passed away, on Wednesday evening, after spending a week in hospital, his family confirmed.
Mpho Moerane dies: What’s the cause of death?
In a statement, family spokesperson Mike Maile confirmed Moerane was admitted to the Netcare Milpark Hospital on Monday 9 May 2022 following a devastating car accident.
As reported by News24, Maile’s accident occurred on his way home from Alexandra, near Gallo Manor.
“He sadly did not respond positively to the treatment and with heavy hearts and deep sorrow, we confirm that we lost our beloved Mpho this afternoon and his passing has deeply pained us. He was certified dead at 17:54,” Maile noted.
Maile is the third Johannesburg mayor to die in less than a year. He succeeded Jolidee Matongo in October 2021, who had lost his life in a car crash, with only 30 days left in office.
Matongo’s short-lived tenure resulted from the death of Geoff Makhubo, who died in July 2021 of a COVID-19-related illness.
Moerane was a true Johannesburg native, born in Alexandra, the place he last visited before his death.
As a qualified electrical engineer, Moerane put his technical skills to use with a permanent position at Eskom, which expired in 2006. He sought greener pastures in the restaurant business for more than a decade before he was elected as the interim mayor of Johannesburg in 2021.
Moerane is survived by his wife Fikile and their four children.
Funeral and memorial service details have not yet been issued.
Here are some of the reactions to Moerane’s untimely death:
This is a sad day for Johannesburg and for the nation, as we mourn the passing of a vibrant, young leader. Mpho Moerane was an entrepreneurial, multi-skilled leader who placed his talents and creative energy at the disposal of the citizens of Johannesburg. pic.twitter.com/GbpBwzVU2g
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) May 18, 2022
It is with numbing sadness that I received the news of the passing of Councillor Mpho
— Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) May 18, 2022
Moerane, the leader of the ANC Caucus and the former Executive Mayor of the City of
Johannesburg.
Geoff Makhubo died of Covid.
— Mvelase Ngubo (@NguboMvelase) May 18, 2022
Jolidee Matongo, car accident.
Mpho Moerane, car accident.
They all been the mayor's in the City of Joburg and all died within a short period of time.
#MphoMoerane Geoff Makhubo, Jolidee Matongo and now Mpho Moerane are all former City of Johannesburg Executive Mayors, who were in office in 2021 at different times, currently they are all deceased within 10 months of each other, something is definitely wrong ngekhe. pic.twitter.com/VZLTOfvTg8
— #ProudlySouthAfrican 🇿🇦 (@slago012) May 18, 2022
