Johannesburg Mayoral Vote Postponed Over Majority Requirement Rules

Riyaz Patel

A Johannesburg Council sitting to elect a new mayor for the city has been postponed to 4 December over different interpretations of the required majority determination. 

The election comes after the resignation of Herman Mashaba, whose last day in office was on Wednesday.

The ANC’s mayoral candidate Geoff Makhubo said after the brief sitting that his party is taking the matter to court.

Speaker Vasco Da Gama, said however, that he would seek legal opinion before sanctioning the ballot.

With 270 seats presiding in the Johannesburg Council, it was thought that a candidate who received 136 votes or more would automatically win the election on the “50 + 1” rule – any majority, no matter how small, takes control