ANC ‘plays catch-up’ after delayed choices

The ANC leadership’s plan to install its mayoral candidates as mayors in key and highly contested municipalities ahead of the local government elections has been scuppered by the party’s protracted interview process, which took longer than expected.

The party has now abandoned the move, as those who had initially pushed back against it say it would be setting the mayoral candidates up for failure. They could not achieve much in the less than three months before the polls if they were to be installed as mayors now.

This comes as the ANC is expected to announce its mayoral candidates for key municipalities and metros in the coming week.

According to those close to the discussion, the idea was that installing the mayoral candidates — approved by the party’s core leadership — as mayors immediately would give them an edge over contenders from other political parties.

“Not everyone supported the idea, but we now realise that it’s too late for the mayors to move the needle between now and the elections. There’s just not enough time because the officials took too long with the interviews,” said an ANC national executive committee (NEC) member.

Now we will have to play a catch-up game

According to the NEC member, who was in support of the idea, it would have given their candidates an edge over rival parties’ mayoral candidates — such as the DA’s Helen Zille and ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba, who have been campaigning in Johannesburg for months.

“Now we will have to play a catch-up game,” they said.

Another NEC member said the idea was not unanimously supported, with those opposed saying they were concerned that taking over an ailing municipality and not making a difference would automatically disadvantage the ANC’s candidates.

“The discussion was there, but it was not like something formidable, to be honest,” said this source

“The process of interviewing also ... took time. We would have considered that suggestion if the interviews were concluded much earlier, because what are they going to do now if you were to install them?”

The source used a football metaphor to explain the thinking. They said installing the candidates before the elections would be akin to a coach introducing a new player in a match that would be played before the finals.

“So we wanted to substitute, like in a game of football, warming a player up for the next game. When you know a player is going to the finals, before the final starts you introduce the players that you are going to start the final game with.

The ANC is this week expected to finally announce its mayoral candidates, making it the last major political party to do so

“That’s how those who were suggesting it were viewing it, but some of us were never a proponent of that because we knew such was not going to happen, that it’s not going to be possible.”

The ANC is this week expected to finally announce its mayoral candidates, making it the last major political party to do so.

The DA, EFF, ActionSA, PA, IFP, Bosa, Rise Mzansi and others have already announced their mayoral candidates, who have hit the ground running.

In Joburg, for instance, the DA has put up Zille, the EFF has announced Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, ActionSA has Mashaba, the PA has Kenny Kunene, the IFP has Mlungisi Mabaso, Bosa has Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, and Rise Mzansi has Lukhona Mnguni.

The ANC’s announcement is expected in the coming week, when the party’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, will also launch its manifesto in Riverside, Diepsloot.

In Joburg, the ANC is expected to announce Rev Frank Chikane as its mayoral candidate, with Loyiso Masuku running for deputy mayor.

In Ekurhuleni, it is understood that former Gauteng speaker Ntombi Mekgwe is the frontrunner, ahead of current mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza and Jongizizwe Dlabathi, the ANC regional secretary.

In Tshwane, the MMC for human settlements, Aaron Maluleka, is set to be announced as the ANC’s preferred candidate, with deputy regional ANC leader and roads & transport MMC Tlangi Mogale as the second option.

eThekwini’s current mayor, Cyril Xaba, is tipped to retain his position, as he has apparently been endorsed for another term, with the metro one of the ANC’s most closely contested areas in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mangaung’s Gregory Nthatisi has also been endorsed for another term.