Sputla out, Didiza in
After urgent behind the scene talks and negotiations, former cabinet minister Thoko Didiza has been named as a compromise mayoral candidate for Tshwane.
Former cabinet minister Thoko Didiza has been named the ANC mayoral candidate of Tshwane for the 3 August municipal elections.
The announcement follows weeks of speculation and uncertainty of who would take the ANC in Tshwane metro through the upcoming municipal elections, which is regarded by experts and observers as the most important election since 1994.
Chaos and turmoil erupted this weekend about the naming of the ANC mayor for the capital when the nomination of incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa – second on the list – and the current number two in the Tshwane council Mapita Matsena reached a stalemate.
ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe on Monday morning announced from Luthuli House in Johannesburg that Didiza, who formerly headed the public works ministry after being minister of agriculture and land affairs, would stand as mayor in Tshwane.
It is widely believed that she is a compromise appointment to prevent strife and violence between the factions that support Ramokgopa and Matsena.
The fact that Ramokgopa was not named as mayoral candidate took many by surprise as he is currently ANC regional leader. Regional leaders traditionally took the position as mayor but this was the first year that the ANC actually named individual candidates.
Speculation is rife that Ramokgopa was made the scapegoat after divisions in within the ANC and its alliance partners in Tshwane had been damaged beyond repair.
On Saturday, all the mayors were announced except for Tshwane.
On Sunday, further discussions were held among leadership at the Sammy Marks council chambers, while ordinary members awaited the outcome at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria West.
Violence broke out at the events centre when it became known that Didiza was the front-runner as mayoral candidate.
While police still had not given details, it is believed that one person died and others sustained injuries when gunmen, who arrived in a VW Polo without licence plates, parked at the gates of the events centre in WF Nkomo Street.
Two men got out of the vehicle and without saying a word, started shooting at random. One of the shooters’ gun jammed and they ran off. Chaos ensued and it is believed that people were hacked with pangas. The injured were taken to Steve Biko Hospital.
Police attempted to prevent reporters from getting near the scene and from taking photographs.
On Saturday, Mantashe also announced that Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau would return as the party’s candidate while Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Mzwandile Masina would be the Ekurhuleni candidate. This meant that current mayor Mondli Gungubele would not return.
In Nelson Mandela Bay current mayor Danny Jordaan would remain the candidate.
In Mangaung, Olly Mlameli will replace current mayor Thabo Manyoni. The Cape Town mayoral candidate is Xolani Sotashe, in eThekwini Zandile Gumede and Buffalo City Xola Pakati.
Didiza was born on 2 June 1965 in Durban and hold a BA Hons degree. She is married and has five children. In 2008, she was one of nine ministers who resigned their positions when former President Thabo Mbeki stepped down as president.
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