The ANC Joburg regional executive committee (REC) has nominated regional chairperson Loyiso Masuku as the only name to be considered as its mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg.
The Mail & Guardian understands that mayor Dada Morero did not make it onto the list submitted to Luthuli House for interviews for the mayoral position.
Fearing the leaking of the other two names, the REC resolved that regional office bearers (ROBs) should deliberate on the names. Under consideration for the mayoral position are Nhlanhla Lux, Reverend Frank Chikane, Chichi Maponya and Jabu Moleketi.
Masuku is the deputy mayor, Lux a former Operation Dudula leader and immigration activist and Chikane the ANC’s integrity commissions chair. Maponya’s LinkedIn profile states that Maponya serves as the Maponya Group chair. Moleketi is a former deputy minister of finance.
The M&G understands that the process of selecting candidates was concluded in the second week of May as the regions were tasked with submitting three names to Luthuli House. While the names were proposed by the REC, the ROBs had the final say on which two names would join Masuku to form the three-name shortlist submitted to Luthuli House.
The publication also understands that two of the four names were ultimately submitted to Luthuli House.
Since 2021, the party’s top seven leaders have been tasked with interviewing mayoral and premier candidates and deciding on at least three names to represent the party.
If the first-choice candidate declines, the second-ranked candidate automatically takes over. The same applies to the third-ranked candidate.
Regional secretary Sasabona Manganyi declined to comment.
A senior ANC source told the publication that the ROBs were mandated to finalise the other two names for submission to Luthuli House.
“On Loyiso, the decision was made by the REC. As for the other two names, the ROBs were mandated to look around so that the REC would not simply sit and resolve the names among themselves,” the source said.
Another senior source told M&G that Morero’s name was raised during discussions but was not among the final names submitted.
“Several names were raised but they are not part of the final names submitted,” the source said.
Facing what might be its toughest local government election battle yet, last month the ANC decided to look beyond its own ranks in its search of mayoral candidates across the country’s metros and municipalities.
Also last month, the party announced that it had opened public nominations for the centralised selection of ANC mayoral candidates in the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities and 22 secondary cities and towns.
In a statement, the party said it wanted to turn to the people of South Africa and invite them to participate in identifying those who would carry the responsibility of municipal leadership as mayors in the next term.
“This invitation is genuinely open to all. Any South African who is not a card-carrying member of the movement may nominate a fellow citizen of integrity and capacity through the same portal and on the same terms as any member of the ANC,” the statement read.
“A South African who is not a member may also self-nominate and put forward his or her own name for consideration. The door is extended first; the question of membership comes later, in line with Rule 4.16 of the ANC constitution and the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC), and before any name is publicly announced.”
It is now up to the party’s top seven leaders to interview candidates and come up with at least three names for the mayoral position.
Although the REC has decided on Masuku, the ROBs have been mandated to choose two out of the four proposed names