The ANC’s top seven leaders have hit a deadlock over the selection of party mayoral candidates, with Johannesburg and Tshwane emerging as the biggest obstacles in the attempt to finalise the faces of its local government election campaign.
Sunday World understands that the highly anticipated announcement of the ANC’s mayoral candidates may not even take place at the party’s manifesto launch in Diepsloot today, as disagreements over the candidates for the two key metros remain unresolved.
The delay comes after the stalemate between ANC national officials is said to have led to an intervention that President Cyril Ramaphosa should make the announcement at the manifesto launch today.
But sources familiar with the process say the president’s intervention has not produced consensus and that the middle ground agreed upon was to abandon picking successful candidates now, fearing divisions that may emerge if nominees with influence in ANC structures do not make the cut.
Consequently, yesterday the ANC resolved to announce all nominees who made the shortlist after its interviewing process for mayors of metro municipalities and secondary cities.
“The problem is the big metros. Johannesburg and Tshwane carry the biggest political weight and the party cannot afford to announce candidates who immediately create another fight,” an ANC source said.
In Johannesburg, the emergence of Reverend Frank Chikane as the likely mayoral candidate has exposed cracks.
Chikane’s candidacy appears to offer the national leadership a way out of the contest between incumbent mayor Dada Morero and Johannesburg regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku.
The ANC leader, who chairs the party’s integrity commission, is viewed by senior party figures as a candidate who can provide the ANC with a respected public face.
His potential selection has unsettled supporters who invested political capital in the Morero-Masuku contest. Sources say Mbalula has backed Morero’s candidacy, and the incumbent mayor’s experience and support base in Soweto make him a stronger proposition.
But Masuku’s supporters say the elected regional leadership should have a say in choosing the mayoral candidate as people who will be running the election campaign in Africa’s economic hub.
Masuku defeated Morero at the Johannesburg regional conference and received the highest number of votes, strengthening her camp’s argument that she has the strongest mandate for running the election campaign. Her supporters have also pointed to the ANC’s push for women’s leadership as another reason why she should have been considered as a mayoral candidate.
Morero’s influence has not disappeared. His backers point to his Soweto support base, which remains one of the ANC’s most important electoral constituencies in Johannesburg. But the battle is taking place against a restructuring of the ANC’s Johannesburg election machinery. A memorandum dated August 6 and signed by regional secretary Sasabona Manganye shows that the regional election team conducted an assessment of the campaign and resolved to strengthen structures across several zones. Seven zones were affected by changes, with new convenors and coordinators deployed to Zones 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Zone 10, which includes Morero’s support base in Soweto, was among those affected.
The memorandum assigns the officials responsibility for leadership, campaign coordination, planning and reporting.
Party insiders say some of those deployed are aligned to Masuku’s camp, raising questions about whether the regional chairperson is gaining greater influence over the campaign machinery.
The ANC’s election memorandum acknowledges the importance of Soweto and other areas: “The 2026 Local Government Elections will be highly contested, particularly in Soweto and other areas. These areas remain critical to the ANC’s electoral success and require experienced, disciplined, committed and capable leadership to drive the campaign with urgency and focus.”
Some party insiders say Chikane’s Soweto roots weaken the argument that Morero is the only capable candidate.
However, there have been attempts to undermine his candidacy, with claims circulating that he had withdrawn from the race. Sources close to the process dismissed the claims. “We do not know anything about Reverend Frank Chikane pulling out. He is still willing to be the mayoral candidate.”
Manganye also confirmed that reports suggesting Chikane had withdrawn were false.
While Johannesburg remains the biggest unresolved battle, the ANC has narrowed down candidates in other municipalities after a national interview process.
The party’s national officials interviewed shortlisted candidates across the major metros. Successful candidates were announced yesterday in Sandton. In Johannesburg, the shortlist included Chikane topping the charts, Masuku, Nomoya Mnisi and Morero.
Party insiders say Cyril Xaba is emerging as the leading candidate for eThekwini, Jongizizwe Dlabathi for Ekurhuleni, John Mpe for Polokwane, Babalwa Lobishe for Nelson Mandela Bay, Princess Faku for Buffalo City and Tlangi Mogale for Tshwane.
However, Tshwane remains another unresolved battleground. Sources say Mogale is leading but her name remains contested by long-time mayoral hopeful Dr Kgosi Maepa
The Tshwane shortlist included Maepa, Chaane Majake, Aaron Maluleke, Mogale and Patience Moropa.
In eThekwini, the shortlist included Xaba, Nomusa Dube and Mina Soma-Lesoma, while Ekurhuleni’s included Dlabathi, Ntombi Mekgwe, Phelisa Nkunjani and Doctor Xhakasa.
With the November 4 local government elections approaching, the ANC is under pressure to conclude its mayoral selections and move into campaign mode. Ward councillor nominations must be completed by August 28, while the Electoral Commission of South Africa is expected to release all candidates’ lists on September 16.
- The ANC's top seven leaders are deadlocked over mayoral candidate selections for Johannesburg and Tshwane, delaying announcements at the manifesto launch in Diepsloot.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa's intervention did not resolve disagreements, leading the ANC to announce all shortlisted nominees instead of finalizing candidates.
- Reverend Frank Chikane is a potential Johannesburg mayoral candidate, offering a compromise between incumbent Dada Morero and regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku camps.
- The ANC's election machinery in Johannesburg is being restructured, with changes in zone leadership potentially increasing Masuku's influence over the campaign.
- Candidates for other municipalities have been narrowed down, with Cyril Xaba likely for eThekwini, Jongizizwe Dlabathi for Ekurhuleni, and Tlangi Mogale leading in Tshwane, although Tshwane remains contested.
But sources familiar with the process say the president’s intervention has not produced consensus and that the middle ground agreed upon was to abandon picking successful candidates now, fearing divisions that may emerge if nominees with influence in ANC structures do not make the cut.
Consequently, yesterday the ANC resolved to announce all nominees who made the shortlist after its interviewing process for mayors of metro municipalities and secondary cities.
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In Johannesburg, the emergence of
Chikane’s candidacy appears to offer the national leadership a way out of the contest between incumbent mayor Dada Morero and Johannesburg regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku.
His potential selection has unsettled supporters who invested political capital in the Morero-Masuku contest. Sources say
But Masuku’s supporters say the elected regional leadership should have a say in choosing the mayoral candidate as people who will be running the election campaign in Africa’s economic hub.
Masuku defeated Morero at the Johannesburg regional conference and received the highest number of votes, strengthening her camp’s argument that she has the strongest mandate for running the election campaign. Her supporters have also pointed to the ANC’s push for women’s leadership as another reason why she should have been considered as a mayoral candidate.
Morero’s influence has not disappeared. His backers point to his Soweto support base, which remains one of the ANC’s most important electoral constituencies in Johannesburg. But the battle is taking place against a restructuring of the ANC’s Johannesburg election machinery. A memorandum dated August 6 and signed by regional secretary Sasabona
Party insiders say some of those deployed are aligned to Masuku’s camp, raising questions about whether the regional chairperson is gaining greater influence over the campaign machinery.
Some party insiders say Chikane’s Soweto roots weaken the argument that Morero is the only capable candidate.
However, there have been attempts to undermine his candidacy, with claims circulating that he had withdrawn from the race. Sources close to the process dismissed the claims. “We do not know anything about
While Johannesburg remains the biggest unresolved battle, the ANC has narrowed down candidates in other municipalities after a national interview process.
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