With the ANC’s internal processes to nominate mayoral candidates for metropolitan municipalities and strategic towns ahead of the November municipal elections in full swing, more than 10 aspiring candidates are set to battle it out for the mayoral chains available for the Eastern Cape’s two metros.
According to a confidential party document seen by the Dispatch, five candidates are this week set for a gruelling interview process for the mayoral chain in Buffalo City Metro, while six shortlisted candidates will also come head to head for the troubled Nelson Mandela Bay metro’s first citizen seat.
This will take the tally to 11 shortlisted candidates who would be vying for the only two available metro mayoral chains in the province.
It is understood that, other than the three names forwarded by the party’s Dr WB Rubusana regional leadership for consideration, two more ANC activists are set to appear before the interviewing panel.
The region had forwarded to Luthuli House the names of the incumbent mayor and the region’s ANC chair, Princess Faku, BCM’s finance mayoral committee member and regional treasurer Yomelela Tyali and that of corporate services MMC and the ANC’s deputy regional secretary, Bongiwe Sauli.
The names were confirmed on Monday by the region’s secretary, Anele Lizo, who said he was not aware of the names of the other two potential candidates set for interviews.
However, a number of party insiders confirmed that they were BCM ANC councillor and former ANC regional treasurer Ncedo Kumbaca and former sport, arts and culture deputy minister Nocawe Mafu.
While Kumbaca on Monday confirmed that he had submitted his own application for consideration, and that he had since been contacted to attend interviews at Luthuli House on Wednesday, Mafu could not be contacted for comment.
For the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, the ANC in the region had submitted the names of incumbent mayor Babalwa Lobishe, council chief whip Wandisile Jikeka and infrastructure MMC Bulelwa Mafaya.
At the time of publication on Monday, it was not clear who the other three potential candidates for the Bay are.
While indications are that mayoral candidates from BCM are set to be interviewed by the party’s top seven national leaders on Wednesday, interviews for possible mayors in a number of “strategic towns” in the province are expected to commence on Tuesday, according to some party insiders.
A five-member interviewing panel from the party’s national executive committee is set to descend on the province this week to conduct interviews at ANC provincial headquarters in Qonce.
This is where candidates from five provincial municipalities — King Sabata Dalindyebo, Enoch Mgijima, Makana, Port St John’s and Ndlambe — are set to motivate for their selection.
The five-member Luthuli House interviewing panel for the province is set to be chaired by controversial former communications minister Dina Pule, who was recently appointed social development minister, replacing Sisisi Tolashe who was recalled by the ANC after being implicated in alleged corrupt activities.
Pule, who made a dramatic return to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet last week, was fired from the cabinet in July 2013 amid corruption allegations she faced while still communications minister.
Pule’s team, responsible for interviews in both the Western and Eastern Cape, will also include NEC members David Mahlobo, Mdududzi Manana, Joy Maimela and Dr Polly Boshielo.
They are part of six interviewing panels established by the party’s national leadership to grill potential mayors in strategic towns across the country.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula could not be reached on Monday and the party’s acting national spokesperson, Nonceba Mhlauli, did not respond to questions sent.
The ANC had declared 2026 as the year of decisive action to fix local government and transform the economy.
In May, the party opened public nomination processes that allowed anyone, whether within or outside ANC structures, to raise their hands for consideration as possible mayoral candidates for the metros.
At the time, the party said it was looking for “women and men of integrity, of competence, and of demonstrable readiness to carry these offices in the service of the people”.
Mbalula at the time said the party planned to choose “those who will restore the water and the lights, fix the potholes, clear the refuse, keep the municipal offices honest, and bring local government back to the standard the Freedom Charter has always demanded of it”.
While the party had planned to announce its mayoral candidates by mid-July, Mbalula recently said the announcement would be delayed until late July, as they scrutinised 150 shortlisted candidates for the eight metros.
The party had confirmed receiving about 5,000 applications for mayoral seats in the 257 municipalities.
Daily Dispatch
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