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Al Jama-ah councillor Kabelo Gwamanda has been elected as the new mayor of the City of Johannesburg. Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
- Al Jama-ah is again fielding controversy, with newly elected Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda facing questions about his running of a defunct funeral scheme.
- An audio recording reveals a woman complaining about being a victim of the scheme which Gwamanda is said to have played a central role.
- Al Jama-ah says the allegations are a lie and DA councillor Mpho Phalatse felt scorned by her loss to Gwamanda for the mayoral seat.
Al Jama-ah says Kabelo Gwamanda is a competent candidate for mayor and his losing competitor, Mpho Phalatse, is on a coordinated campaign to smear the newly elected mayor's name.
This according to party leader Ganief Hendricks who has been defending his members in recent months.
He said the allegations about the mayor were frivolous.
News24 recently reported Gwamanda was linked to three registered companies - Ithemba lama Afrika, Newtown Lifestyle Radio, and PMPO General Trading and Projects.
Ithemba lama Afrika has returned to haunt Gwamanda's political future as allegations of a scam surfaced.
When News24 asked him, shortly before his election on Friday, whether he had links to these three companies, he denied it.
But an audio recording, heard by News24, has revealed Gwamanda was allegedly central to this company.
It is alleged people channelled money into Ithemba lama Afrika at the mayor's behest.
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In the audio recording, a woman is heard saying: "They [Gwamanda] had opened an investment company for funerals in the north next to the library.
"We put our monies into the investment, waiting for a funeral cover, and those children ate our money, Kabelo and Mduduzi.
"I can tell you a long story about Kabelo; now we [with his election as mayor] more money will be eaten."
Phalatse is using these allegations in her political campaign to show Gwamanda, whom she lost to in the contest for mayor, could not be trusted with the City's R70 billion budget.
She had threatened to open a criminal complaint with the police regarding the allegations, saying she was concerned about the six million residents of Johannesburg.
"The DA believes the mayor deserves an opportunity to clear his name if he is to be trusted by the public.
"Hence the mayor must take the public into his confidence and hold a media briefing to provide clarity and assure the public that he will not interfere with this investigation," Phalatse said.
She has yet to open a criminal case against Gwamanda.
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Speaking to News24, Hendricks accused Phalatse of smearing the new mayor after her recent mayoral loss.
He said he hoped in Phalatse opening a criminal case, she would be arrested for tainting the mayor's name.
"The former mayor is playing very dirty politics with the people of Joburg. The mayor [Gwamanda] has been vetted. She is just trying to create lies because she was rejected as the mayor of Joburg."
Hendricks had fielded similar competence questions against former mayor Thapelo Amad, another party member.
Amad, who was forced to resign, had denied knowledge of Gwamanda's involvement in business entities when News24 asked him.
He said he believed Gwamanda was a suitable replacement as mayor.
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