Incoming Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina does not plan to get rid of municipal staff who served under his predecessor Mondli Gungubele.

"We will not go around purging people. People are here, they were brought in properly. We are going to work with them to make sure we deliver that which our communities expect," he told News24 on Thursday.

While he did not want to admit to feeling some pressure in manning the only African National Congress-led metro in Gauteng, he welcomed the chance to improve people’s lives.

"The citizens have spared us a moment to prove ourselves. So for me it’s a moment in assisting the ANC to show that we can do things better and faster."

The ANC and Democratic Alliance each being in charge of four metros in the country was an opportunity for some healthy competition.

"This is a healthy democratic contest that will benefit the people. Whoever does a good job either wins more votes or loses the confidence of the people. It’s a fair challenge," he said.

Masina said he felt ready and capable of taking on the job of Ekurhuleni’s number one citizen and tackling the problems facing its residents.