ANC postpones decision on mayoral candidates

After months of debate, 11th-hour meetings, and a glitzy ceremony … the ANC is no closer to having a mayoral candidate for Johannesburg.

The local government elections are just three months away, and most parties are hitting the campaign trail. The DA has put forward Helen Zille, while ActionSA has chosen former mayor Herman Mashaba. The EFF has nominated Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng.

But the ANC will only announce its candidate in September, party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said on Saturday.

“The ANC campaign is not dependent on candidates. It is driven by the ANC and the face of it is the president,” he said.

The candidate was supposed to be announced at an event in Sandton on Saturday, but instead, confused delegates were simply told who made the shortlist.

Ramaphosa’s speech at the event also read like that of the sole candidate announcement that was promised, hinting at a possible last-minute change to the programme, as negotiations continue behind the scenes.

The race in Joburg has long been between current Joburg mayor Dada Morero and his deputy mayor and ANC regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku.

In Tshwane, MMCs Aaron Maluleka and Tlangi Mogale were joined on the list by Kgosi Maepa, Patience Moropa, and Phumeza Mangcu. Nkosindiphile Xhakaza is said to be slugging it out with Jongizizwe Dlabathi in Ekhurhuleni, with Ntombi Mekgwe and Pelisa Nkunjana also on the shortlist.

Despite being named on the shortlist on Saturday, sources told The Citizen this week that Reverend Frank Chikane had pulled out of the Joburg mayoral race.

Masuku defeated Morero to the main ANC position in the city at the regional elective conference last year, with one camp pushing for her to be then made mayor and another holding fast to Morero.

The Citizen understands that leaders were locked in meetings for much of the week, as they battled to form a united front.

“The national officials have had a tough time on this one because even on Thursday it still was not clear who will become the mayoral candidate. They have been in and out of meetings,” said another source.

The party said its selection process was fully transparent and democratic.

“[The mayoral candidates will] not [be] chosen behind closed doors, but nominated by communities, verified, shortlisted, and interviewed through the ANC’s most open candidate selection process yet.

“Thank you to every South African who participated in this historic process. You’ve scrutinised the process and now, as we announce them, hold us-and every candidate-accountable.”

But will it make any difference?

Political analyst Andre Duvenhage previously told The Citizen that it was important that the ANC choose the right candidate for mayor.

“The ANC was once a dominant party, so finding the right leadership is critical for a declining party. So, at the moment, what we are seeing is that corruption is very rife there, all sorts of problems.

“So, it is important for them to select the right leaders because even surveys are saying ANC support will continue to decline,” he said.

The ANC in Johannesburg remains the majority party in the council, with the most ward councillors. However, Duvenhage believes the party is “facing a serious crisis. Not only in Gauteng but in other metros around the country.”

“This is more of the same, and people are fed up with more of the same,” he said.

Masuku defends Joburg government

Hours before the announcement, Masuku defended the ANC-led coalition government’s work in the city.

“Since the beginning of March 2026, we collectively worked on a revenue collection turnaround strategy that has seen collections begin to stabilise at just below 90% on average for the past 6 months. This is from 83.5% year-to-date achieved in February 2026, just before the new strategy was implemented.

“The strategy included:

• Improving data cleansing and statements distribution.
• Stabilising IT systems in revenue management.
• Improving disconnections through revenue collection drive.
• Resolving long outstanding customer queries through the revenue management warroom.
• Handing over long outstanding debt to external debt collectors
• Walk the floor collection drive on high-owing customers
• Improved key account management processes

“We are turning things around as we committed. Our financial turnaround strategy is on course. Results won’t be overnight. However, we are making steady progress.”