Minutes after ANC Johannesburg regional chairperson Dada Morero was elected mayor of Joburg, party bosses rushed to his side, telling the DA that his election was a sign of things to come.

On Friday, Morero was elected mayor of Joburg after Mpho Phalatse was unseated through a motion of no confidence brought by AIC councillor Margaret Arnolds.

During the dramatic and chaotic meeting, Phalatse lost by 139 votes after the DA abstained from voting, saying they did not recognise the meeting.

The DA was pinning its hopes on an urgent court application brought on by Phalatse at the Johannesburg High Court in an attempt to interdict Friday's meeting.

However, the application was struck off the roll due to Phalatse already having been ousted by the time the court sat.

ANC national executive committee member Dakota Legoete was joined by Gauteng provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi and secretary TK Nciza in congratulating Morero.

Panyaza boldly declared that the axe would fall on the DA in Tshwane as well as Ekurhuleni.

Today marked the first successful attempt in removing the DA from one of the three metros in Gauteng. 

Tshwane and Ekurhuleni are still governed by DA-led coalition governments. "Other municipalities are on the list," Panyaza declared.

On the DA walking out of Friday's meeting, Panyaza said the writing was on the wall as the party realised what the ANC's plans were.

While delivering his first speech as the newly elected mayor, Morero paid homage to former ANC Joburg mayors who had died such as Jolidee Matongo, Geoff Makhubo and Mpho Moerane.

"What has happened today is an illustration of what can go wrong when a government fails to serve the people. Our communities have suffered enough. They were promised change, and change moved to a false golden start.

"It is heart-breaking that the city’s main entities are financially on their knees with unsustainable overdrafts such as City Power on R8bn negative cash balance. How do we fix a city that has financially collapsed? Ten months of golden promises have taken us 100 years back. Indeed, the city is not financially stable. Collectively, we can fix this mess," he said.

Morero said the people of Joburg were the source of their strength, adding they needed to keep the city clean because the wellness of residents depends on them.

"We aim to make the city functional by keeping the lights on, improving uninterrupted mobility. We should take this task as a collective responsibility and not as a party programme."

Before nominations for mayor were made, the DA did not return to chambers. The only coalition partners present during the election process was the IFP and ATM. ActionSA did not attend Friday's meeting.

Shortly after the results of the election were announced, Phalatse took to social media again to thank the residents for their support.

"What happened today was an injustice, it was unlawful. We're just waiting for the courts to redeem the residents of Johannesburg from what happened today. Please hang in there, we'll fight to see our city rebuilt again and we will leave our city in the hands of this corrupt killer," Phalatse said.