Now that the ANC’s plan to deploy its shortlisted mayoral candidates into political management teams has collapsed after they failed to enter several Gauteng councils, the party goes into coalition negotiations without formidable candidates.
Before the November 4 elections the ANC had intended to distribute the mayor, speaker and chief whip positions among the candidates who underwent its mayoral interview process.
However, election results left several candidates outside the councils they hoped to lead.
“The scenario has changed,” a senior ANC source with direct knowledge of internal discussions said.
The source said the ANC initially expected its interviewed candidates to form each municipality’s political management team.
“One would be mayor, one speaker and one chief whip,” the source said.
The ANC secured no proportional representation seats in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni or Mogale City. Every ANC councillor in those municipalities won a ward.
The setback leaves the party unable to deploy shortlisted candidates who relied on its PR lists to enter council.
Municipal councils elect mayors from among their members. The ANC must, therefore, reconsider its candidates if coalition negotiations deliver any mayoralties.
The ANC shortlisted Dada Morero, Loyiso Masuku and Frank Chikane for the Johannesburg mayoralty.
None entered the council after the ANC won all its 63 seats directly through wards. The party received no compensatory PR seats.
The DA emerged with 91 seats, while ActionSA secured 43. A governing majority requires 136 seats.
The source said the absence of the shortlisted candidates had created a practical crisis.
“The people interviewed are not all in council,” the source said.
The ANC must now choose an elected ward councillor or find a legal route to bring a preferred candidate into council.
Party leaders have reportedly considered asking the SACP or another party to relinquish a PR seat to accommodate an ANC candidate.
The SACP rejected that possibility. It said its councillors represented the communities and organisations that selected them.
Another party cannot donate a council seat while retaining control over it. A vacancy ordinarily returns to the party that won the seat.
The source described the position in Ekurhuleni as even more severe.
“It is very bad in Ekurhuleni. None of them is a councillor,” the source said.
The ANC considered incumbent mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, regional secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi and other senior figures during its selection process.
However, the ANC’s 59 Ekurhuleni seats all came through ward victories. It received no PR seats.
The DA holds 66 seats and ActionSA 40. The council requires 113 seats for a majority.
The source said the result could force the ANC to repeat its mayoral selection process.
“They would have to restart the process of mayorship,” the source said.
The party must identify eligible candidates among its 59 elected ward councillors.
Regional structures would recommend names before the national leadership makes the final decision.
“The REC must decide who to recommend from the ward councillor list,” the source said.
- Now that the ANC’s plan to deploy its shortlisted mayoral candidates into political management teams has collapsed after they failed to enter several Gauteng councils, the party goes into coalition negotiations without formidable candidates.
- Before the November 4 elections the ANC had intended to distribute the mayor, speaker and chief whip positions among the candidates who underwent its mayoral interview process.
- However, election results left several candidates outside the councils they hoped to lead.
- The source said the ANC initially expected its interviewed candidates to form each municipality’s political management team.
