Kodwa promises competent mayoral candidates
THE ANC’s top brass will decide at the weekend when to announce its mayoral candidates for South Africa’s “strategic” metros in the run-up to this year’s do-or-die elections.
In an interview yesterday, ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the much-anticipated announcement of the ruling party’s mayoral candidates would form part of discussions at its lekgotla in Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela Bay – where the ANC’s power hangs by a thread – Johannesburg and Tshwane top the list of what the party calls its strategic metros where it hopes to retain power despite a spirited campaign by the opposition. The DA’s campaign in Nelson Mandela Bay is in full swing, with mayoral candidate Athol Trollip leading attempts to win power from the ANC. Bolstered by a historic Ward 30 by-election win last year, the UDM, led by its mayoral candidate Mongameli Bobani, has also kicked off its campaign hoping to eat away at the ANC’s support. Some within the ANC believe incumbent Danny Jordaan has done enough to stabilise the metro, making him the obvious choice to lead the party to the polls. The DA announced businessman Herman Mashaba as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg at the weekend.
Last year, the party announced Solly Msimanga as its candidate for the Tshwane metro. Announcing its mayoral candidate would be a first for the ANC, which with the exception of its Cape Town mayoral candidate Tony Ehrenreich in 2011, has played its cards close to its chest until after the elections. The party changed its tune at its national general council last year and said it planned to announce competent candidates who enjoyed broader community support to be the face of its campaigns in different cities. “There is no debate about it – we will announce our candidates before the elections,” Kodwa said yesterday. The ANC is targeting to launch its election manifesto in the Bay between March and April. Kodwa reiterated that the party would field competent candidates. “We will have to make sure that they are people who can turn things around in municipalities and bring services to our people without any delays. “It will be people who are competent, people who enjoy the support of the people,” he said.
