The newly elected mayor of Johannesburg Jolidee Matongo, dies in result of a car crash that took place after the ANC election campaign in Soweto where the ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa was leading the campaign.

The mayor’s sudden death was reported in the late hours of Saturday by the ANC Members, who were sending out condolence in shock. Matongo was elected as the new mayor of Johannesburg city, after the passing of the former Joburg mayor Geoff Makhubo, who died from Covid-19 complications.

Herman Mashaba sent out his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Matongo. “Politics must always come last in these moments. He was taken far too soon.” Said Mashaba on a tweet. The crime scene was packed but the identification of any family members present is yet to be determined.

The other people involved in the crash are currently in hospital, more information on the crash will be shared with the media as we await for a formal statement from the family and from the president as he was with him the whole day in Soweto, before the crash that caused Matongo’s untimely passing.

The president expressed his sadness in a tweet “the time we spent together has been rendered a priceless treasure given his untimely and traumatic passing. May his soul rest in peace”

The City of Johannesburg’s website said Jolidee Matongo was currently pursuing a master’s degree in public administration. He held various qualifications, which include a B-Tech degree in Public Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance as well as Public Management and Development.