Zohran Mamdani has made history as New York City’s youngest and first Muslim mayor.
The 34-year-old politician, who spent some of his formative years in South Africa, was officially elected on 4 November 2025. His rise marks a major shift in American urban politics, one where progressive and working-class issues have taken centre stage.
According to Daily Maverick, Mamdani ran a grassroots campaign focused on affordability and social equality, defeating political heavyweight Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in what analysts are calling a major upset.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991, Mamdani moved to Cape Town with his family before settling in New York at age seven.
His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a well-known Ugandan academic who once taught at the University of Cape Town, while his mother, Mira Nair, is an acclaimed filmmaker behind Monsoon Wedding and Mississippi Masala.
In Cape Town, Mamdani attended St. George’s Grammar School in Mowbray, where his father was a lecturer at UCT.
Reflecting on his childhood, Mamdani has described his upbringing as “privileged” yet deeply shaped by the social and racial inequalities he witnessed in both South Africa and the US.
Mamdani’s campaign centred on making New York “a city that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.”
His proposals included universal childcare, fare-free city buses, and 200,000 new affordable housing units. He also promised to freeze rent increases on stabilised apartments and raise taxes on the city’s richest residents.
One of Mamdani’s supporters, Grace Owens from Brooklyn, told Daily Maverick:
“He spoke about universal childcare — something that would actually affect our daily lives. I think that’s why people like me voted for him.”
Many voters echoed this sentiment, saying Mamdani’s campaign finally addressed real-life struggles such as housing costs and childcare expenses.
The election drew unprecedented attention nationwide. US President Donald Trump even weighed in, calling Mamdani a “Communist” and threatening to cut federal funding to New York if he won.
But this warning appeared to backfire, with some voters saying it pushed them to support Mamdani more strongly.
“People just want someone to stand up to Trump,” one voter told Daily Maverick .
At 34, Zohran Mamdani is not only the city’s youngest mayor since 1892 but also its first Muslim leader.
His victory represents a generational and cultural shift in New York politics, one that bridges his African heritage, South African upbringing, and deep ties to the city he now governs.
