Mpho Phalatse

Mpho Louisa Phalatse[1] (born 7 November 1977) is a South African medical doctor and politician who was the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

A member of the Democratic Alliance, she served in the position from 22 November 2021 until her ousting in a motion of no-confidence on 26 January 2023.

From 2016 to 2019, Phalatse had served as the member of the mayoral committee (MMC) in Johannesburg for Health and Social Development.

[8] At the first council meeting on 22 November 2021, Phalatse was elected as the Executive Mayor of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

[12][13] On 26 November 2021, Phalatse issued a moratorium on the filling of vacant positions and the extension of employment contracts in the City of Johannesburg.

[14] During Phalatse's acceptance speech as mayor on 3 December 2021, ANC councillors disrupted it and demanded that she retract previous comments she made in support of Israel.

[18] On 17 January 2022, the Patriotic Alliance caucus leader in the City of Johannesburg, Ashley Sauls, announced that the party had entered into a power-sharing agreement with the DA in the metro.

[20] On 17 January 2022, Phalatse and Giuseppe Sala, the Mayor of Milan, were elected as Vice Chairs of the C40 Steering Committee, the governing body providing tactical direction for the network of 97 cities dedicated to solving the global climate crisis.

Makhubele then called a special council meeting for 30 September for the vote of no confidence which had been tabled against Phalatse by the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania weeks ago over service delivery issues, to be held.

Phalatse said that her work as a technocrat and leading the multi-party coalition in Johannesburg had "sufficiently prepared" her for the position.

[37] On 5 June 2023, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku was elected leader of the DA caucus in the city council unopposed after Phalatse withdrew from the race.

[38] Phalatse announced on 28 August 2023 that she would resign as a DA councillor on 30 September 2023 and return to being a medical doctor.