Xenophobic campaign launched against Zimbabwean Mayor of Joburg

Some sections of South African Twitter Community have launched a xenophobic social media campaign against the newly elected Mayor of Johannesburg Jolidee Matongo.

The campaign is being run under the hashtag #WeRejectMayorOfJHB.

#WeRejectMayorOfJHB #PutSouthAfricansFirst zimbabweans are enjoying our benefits, while Robert Mugabe kicked out South African during apartheid he said go fight for your own country. Wake up south Africans izwe lomkhulu liyahamba silele thina. pic.twitter.com/oTXQ2aHEn5

— #PutSouthAfricansFirst (@JeffDumisani) August 10, 2021

Matongo, the son of a migrant from Zimbabwe, has been elected unopposed as new executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg, the metro announced on Tuesday after 269 councillors in the metro did not submit any other names and as per the Municipal Structures Act, in the case that there was only one nominee, that person automatically assumed the position.

Call me ignorant, self hating, xenophobic I don't care but I will not keep quite when I see a Zimbabwean in charge of my city. There is no South African who is a mayor anywhere #WeRejectMayorOfJHB #JolideeMatongoMustLeaveMyCity

— Shokwakhe (@Shokwakhe16) August 11, 2021

One user by the moniker @lucangolwamacoz said: The only change he will bring is to make sure that illegal Zimbabweans get SA identities. As we speak his cousins kids are occupying all public schools. He must voetsek.

#WeRejectMayorOfJHB we had enough drama from Neighbours from hell who remember the Zimbabwean who run with millions of @CityPowerJhb few months ago the same mayor was in government under Geoff Makhubo ..no Africa unite in ZA at our cost pic.twitter.com/sg4835BDKi

— Lolo bee 🐝🐝 (African Queen🇿🇦) (@BFSF1212) August 10, 2021

Another @Shokwakhe16 said: Call me ignorant, self hating, xenophobic I don't care but I will not keep quite when I see a Zimbabwean in charge of my city. There is no South African who is a mayor anywhere.

A JeffDumisani says: #WeRejectMayorOfJHB #PutSouthAfricansFirst zimbabweans are enjoying our benefits, while Robert Mugabe kicked out South African during apartheid he said go fight for your own country. Wake up south Africans izwe lomkhulu liyahamba silele thina.

Zimbabweans never helped South Africans during the apartheid times but their getting jobs and opportunities here in South Africa while the Children of those South Africans who fought for this so called Democracy sithing there in foreigners tuckshops #WeRejectMayorOfJHB pic.twitter.com/3070eUz5Qb

— MrMtolooo2 (@Nathink50455851) August 11, 2021

Matongo was born in 1975 in Soweto, Gauteng, south Africa. He matriculated at Orlando West High School where he joined the Soweto Students Congress (Sosco) and Congress of South African Students (Cosas).