DA demands removal of Joburg MMC Amad over firearm charges

City of Johannesburg Community Development MMC Thapelo Amad. Picture: Nigel Sibanda The DA in Johannesburg has demanded that the City of Johannesburg mayor remove MMC Thapelo Amad over criminal charges from AfriForum, alleging he discharged a firearm in public. The former Joburg mayor denied it was him, dismissing the video as part of a smear campaign.

The incident resembles the case in which EFF leader Julius Malema faced charges and conviction. Similarly, AfriForum laid criminal charges against Amad relating to the alleged discharge of a firearm in a public and built-up area. The DA in Johannesburg has now formally written to Mayor Dada Morero, demanding the MMC’s immediate removal pending the outcome of criminal investigations.

DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said Amad’s conduct, if proven in court, would constitute a “serious violation of the law and a direct threat” to public safety. “The DA is clear that an individual facing allegations of this nature cannot remain in an executive position. This is particularly relevant to a portfolio responsible for social cohesion, community stability, and public trust,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said in a statement on Monday.

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The party said allegations involving the reckless discharge of a firearm undermine the mandate of the community development portfolio and erode public confidence. In a letter, the DA reminded Morero that he is empowered to appoint and remove members of the mayoral committee. “We have also pointed to precedent, where political accountability is necessary to safeguard the credibility of governance,” Kayser-Echeozonjoku said. “The mayor must ensure that the City of Johannesburg is not led by individuals whose conduct brings the institution into disrepute.”

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