The ANC in Johannesburg has elected its first female regional chairperson, Loyiso Masuku, in a result that unseats the incumbent, Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero, and sets the stage for a potential leadership battle for control of the city.
After an all-night elective conference at the Cedarwoods Hotel in Woodmead that stretched from Thursday into Friday, Masuku, the former MMC for Finance, secured 184 votes from the 334 accredited delegates. Morero, who has served as both mayor and regional chair, received 149 votes, with one ballot spoilt.
Frontrunner for mayor post
The victory positions Masuku as a frontrunner to become the ANC’s mayoral candidate for the economically critical metro after the 2026 local government elections. However, the conference results revealed a deeply divided region.
In a significant result, Maxwell Nedzamba was re-elected as regional treasurer with an overwhelming 233 votes against Muzi Nkosi’s 98. The treasurer controls the party’s financial machinery. This gives the Morero-aligned camp considerable influence.
Deputy chairperson position was won by Masilo Serekele with 188 votes. He defeated Eunice Mgcina, who received 143 votes. Sasabona Manganye was elected regional secretary with 205 votes.
In his final speech as chair on Thursday, Morero delivered a stark assessment of the city’s troubles while deflecting blame onto the previous DA-led coalition government. He outlined “systematic, structural, and financial” challenges. And he cited operational inefficiencies, delays in infrastructure projects, and severe service delivery backlogs.
“Since 2016, there has been a visible decline in revenue collection efficiency. This… coupled with escalating debt levels and unauthorised expenditures. And this has strained the city’s fiscal health,” Morero said.
Morero decries city’s decline
He urged delegates to elect leaders capable of handling these complex issues, stating, “The world is watching.”
His remarks highlighted the immense challenges facing the incoming regional leadership and the city itself. Johannesburg continues to grapple with chronic water shortages and widespread power outages. Rampant crime, crumbling infrastructure, and persistent allegations of municipal corruption.
Masuku’s historic win now places the ANC in a complex position. The party must decide whether Morero will remain as mayor for the remainder of the term, which ends in November 2026, or if a change is imminent.
