JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) is facing no internal crisis regarding the delayed ANC mayoral candidate announcements for the upcoming local government elections, according to ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Mzwandile Masina.
Addressing concerns over the timeline for revealing the party’s local leadership picks, Masina stressed that the ANC operates as a unitary party rather than a collection of individuals. He affirmed that the party president remains the official head of the ANC’s election campaign, providing centralized direction as the party moves forward.
Masina expressed confidence in the selection process, noting that the party will ultimately identify and announce the right persons for the mayor nominee positions. However, he shifted the immediate focus to the party’s broader policy goals, highlighting the recent launch of the ANC’s election manifesto as the true blueprint for the campaign.
According to Masina, the manifesto clearly outlines the party’s promises to fix local government. He noted that the president elaborated extensively on these commitments, prioritizing the affordable provision of basic services, including water, electricity, and waste management.
Beyond service delivery, the ANC’s strategy also heavily emphasizes economic and structural reforms at the municipal level. Masina pointed out that the president detailed plans to stimulate job creation and attract investment, which are designed to directly assist struggling local municipalities.
Furthermore, the ANC is committed to addressing the systemic capacity issues within local governments. Masina explained that this involves ensuring municipalities are equipped with the right political leadership, supported by suitably qualified administrative professionals to effectively execute their mandates.
By focusing on these foundational policy promises, Masina reiterated that the ANC’s campaign is already well underway, dismissing any notion of a crisis over the scheduling of mayoral candidate announcements.
