South Africa’s ruling ANC wins Johannesburg back

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) regained control of South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, Wednesday after its candidate Geoff Makhubo was elected mayor.

The party, which had governed the city since the end of apartheid in 1994, lost a number of metros including Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria in local government elections three years ago.

The mayoral position became vacant in late October following the resignation of Herman Mashaba, a Democratic Alliance (DA) party member.

In his resignation speech, Mashaba said his party no longer represented his beliefs and what he desires for the residents of the city and country.

"The DA no longer represents a party that is able to achieve what I desire most: a movement that can save South Africa, unseat the African National Congress and deliver One South Africa for all," he said during a media briefing at the time.

Mashaba said the DA is not the same party he joined in 2014.

Makhubo received 137 votes in Wednesday's polls from city of Johannesburg councilors while the main opposition Democratic Alliance candidate Funzela Ngobeni obtained 101 votes.

The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party finished third after getting 30 votes.

Mayor-elect Makhubo promised to improve municipal services such as refurbishing traffic lights and ensuring a clean city.