The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party announced it will publicly reveal its mayoral candidates for South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities within the next two weeks.
Party Secretary General Sibonelo Nomvalo made the announcement during a press briefing in Woodmead, Johannesburg, outlining outcomes from the party’s National Officials Meeting held from June 1 to June 3.
“Looking towards the upcoming local government elections, the party will be unveiling their mayoral candidates within this month,” Nomvalo stated. He confirmed the leadership will announce candidates representing the party in the eight metropolitan municipalities, including Mangaung, Buffalo City, City of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, and the City of Johannesburg.
In addition to the metro candidate announcements, the party confirmed it is implementing provincial election task teams in Mpumalanga and the North West provinces. uMkhonto weSizwe Party Second Deputy President Tony Yengeni has been deployed to lead the task team in Mpumalanga.
“After careful deliberation and analysis of the enormous task of preparing a demanding elections program across the country, the national officials decided to strengthen the provincial elections task teams in Mpumalanga and North West provinces,” the briefing noted. Senior national leaders with extensive political leadership experience will be deployed to these two provinces to help ensure the party attains positive results across all municipalities nationally.
On matters relating to recent political developments, the party reaffirmed it has not formally endorsed the March and March movement, despite confirming ongoing discussions with the initiative.
“The voices of the people must be heard and we acknowledge the role such initiatives play in bringing these issues to the center of our national discourse,” Nomvalo said. “At the same time, we must make it clear that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party has neither formally aligned itself with nor endorsed March and March.”
The party also announced preparations for its first national policy workshop, scheduled to take place in the east of Johannesburg next month. The workshop will focus on finalizing plans for the local government elections and deliberating on critical national issues including the economy, unemployment, and other pressing matters facing South African communities.
