Biography
Thapelo Amad (born 1981 or 1982) is a South African politician and the new Johannesburg mayor. He is a member of the Johannesburg City Council. He is the successor of DA councilor Mpho Phalatse, who left office after a motion of no confidence.
Since 2019, Amad has been the face of his party’s mayoral candidate. He has carried out various legislative duties in the municipality of Johannesburg.
After an election on January 27, 2023, he became the interim mayor of Johannesburg with the support of the ruling party ANC.
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| Quick Facts | |
| Full Name: | Thapelo Amad |
| Born: | 1981 or 1982 (age 41 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Soweto, Johannesburg |
| Nationality: | South Africa |
| Education: | BA in Islamic Studies |
| Occupation: | Politician, Imam |
| Political Party: | Al Jama-ah |
| Position: | Mayor of Johannesburg |
| Predecessor: | Mpho Phalatse |
Early Life
Thapelo Amad was born in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. The 41-year-old grew up in Soweto.
Education
Amad studied for a BA in Islamic Studies and an NQF Level 4 qualification in entrepreneurship. He also obtained an NQF Level 5 qualification in gender mainstreaming in public service from the national school of government.
Thapelo is a fellow of the ASRI Future Leaders fellowship. Currently, he is studying for a certificate of competence through the South African Local Government Association.
Career
Amad serves as a Johannesburg city councilor and the provincial chairperson of the political party Al Jama-ah. The party seeks to uphold sharia law.
The mayor-elect served as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning. He held the position during the short-lived administration of ANC mayor Dada Morero.
Mpho Phalatse forcibly left office after a vote of no confidence on January 26, 2023. After that, many revelations opinioned that Amad would likely be her successor since the ANC supported him.
Ahmad, Funzi Ngobeni, and Phalatse were nominees for the mayoral position. Amad won with a total of 138 votes, while Phalatse and Ngobeni got 81 votes and 46 votes, respectively. He was voted in by the city council to replace mayor Mpho Phalatse of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Ahmad is the first Muslim to helm Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest metropolis. He got the position with the support of the governing African National Congress. The ANC holds the most seats in the council.
Positions
Current
- Johannesburg mayor
- Chairperson of Johannesburg’s Section 79 oversight portfolio committee on governance
Former
- Al Jama-ah’s mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg
- MMC for Development Planning
- Regional political party leader and the chief whip in Johannesburg
Personal Life
Thapelo Amad is a Muslim and an Imam.