ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has confirmed that the party will announce its mayoral candidates for all metros by May 2026, ahead of its local government campaign in June and July. Mbalula made the announcement during a briefing on Wednesday, where he outlined the ANC’s process for selecting candidates. The party’s top seven leadership will be conducting interviews for mayoral positions in key cities, including Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and eThekwini.
Transparent Selection Process
The party’s new framework for selecting candidates would be presented next week, with civil society being invited to participate in the process. According to Mbalula, the public will be invited to share their input on the kind of mayor needed in various cities. He stated that the party is committed to finding the right leaders for the job and is taking a cautious approach to avoid past mistakes.
The decision to delay the announcement has raised eyebrows, especially as other political parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA, have already named their candidates. However, Dr Lubna Nadvi, a political analyst at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, explained that the ANC has been grappling with a shift in the leadership mindset of some cadres. She noted that the party’s decision to interview candidates is a step in the right direction, as it indicates a commitment to finding the right leaders for the job.
Key Considerations
Some of the key considerations for the ANC in selecting mayoral candidates include:
- Leadership capacity and experience
- Ability to connect with the community
- Commitment to servant leadership
- Vision for the city’s development
The delay in naming candidates could be part of a broader strategy to avoid revealing the ANC’s ‘cards’ too soon. As the party navigates its internal dynamics and external competition, it is crucial for the ANC to approach the process with caution and find the right people for the job.
