Here’s which school Zohran Mamdani attended in South Africa

Zohran Mamdani has made history as the mayor-elect of New York City, becoming the first South Asian, first Muslim, and first millennial to be elected to lead the United States’ largest city.

The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist and member of the New York State Assembly rose to prominence through a grassroots campaign focused on affordability, equity, and public ownership.

Moved to Cape Town aged five

Born in Kampala, Uganda, to world-renowned academic Mahmood Mamdani and acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, Mamdani’s journey to City Hall spans three continents.

His family moved from Uganda to Cape Town, when he was five, before settling in New York City when he was seven.

While in South Africa, he attended St. George’s Grammar School in Mowbray while his father taught African studies at the nearby University of Cape Town.

In the US, he grew up in Morningside Heights, attended the Bank Street School for Children, and graduated from The Bronx High School of Science in 2010.

Mamdani went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in Maine, where he became active in student politics and social justice work.

Housing counselor

Before entering politics, Zohran Mamdani worked as a housing counselor, helping immigrant homeowners in Queens navigate foreclosure and eviction.

Those experiences, he said, shaped his commitment to tackling New York’s housing crisis and deepening affordability.

Mamdani entered the political scene as a campaign manager for progressive candidates Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan before launching his own campaign for the New York State Assembly in 2020.

Running on a platform of housing justice and tenant rights, he defeated five-term incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary – one of the biggest upsets in city politics that year. He was reelected unopposed in 2022 and 2024.

Affordability-first agenda

In October 2024, Zohran Mamdani announced his run for mayor in the 2025 election, centering his campaign on an affordability-first agenda.

His platform included fare-free city buses, publicly owned grocery stores, expanded childcare, a rent freeze on rent-stabilised units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.

He also pledged to raise taxes on corporations and high earners, bolster LGBTQ+ rights, and reform the city’s approach to public safety.

Against the odds, Mamdani won the Democratic primary in a dramatic upset over former governor Andrew Cuomo, before defeating both Cuomo – who ran as an independent – and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in the general election.

His victory marks a generational and ideological shift in city politics, positioning New York as a testing ground for progressive governance in the US.

‘Something better’

Set to assume office on 1 January 2026, Zohran Mamdani has promised to “build a city that works for all New Yorkers, not just the wealthy few.”

“This campaign was never just about me,” he told supporters at his victory rally in Queens.

“It was about proving that when we organise together, when we dare to imagine something better, we can win.”