The DA has announced its chosen City of Joburg mayoral committee member (MMC) Funzela Ngobeni as its candidate to take over from Herman Mashaba, who steps down as executive mayor next week.

The party made the announcement on Tuesday through a statement.

Mashaba stepped down as both mayor and a party member last month following the election of former leader Helen Zille as the party's federal council chairperson. At the time, Mashaba said he would stay on until November 27 to assist with the transition period.

News24 understands newly elected interim leader John Steenhuisen, who was elected on Sunday, met with the caucus on Tuesday morning to communicate the decision taken by the federal executive.

According to the statement released by the party's Gauteng leader John Moodey, Ngobeni has been a long serving councillor, who joined Mashaba's executive in January 2018.

He currently serves as finance MMC.

"The DA has been through a rigorous selection process before appointing him and is confident that should he be elected as the executive mayor of the DA-led city of Johannesburg on 28 November 2019, that he will continue the good work done by outgoing mayor Herman Mashaba," said Moodey.

This is a developing story. More information to follow.

Source: News24