Overview
- The ANC announced on the weekend that it will not name final mayoral candidates until September and instead released shortlists of nominees for eight metros and 22 secondary cities.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the party’s local‑government manifesto in Diepsloot and said all ANC mayors and councillors must sign public performance agreements with clear targets and face removal if they fail.
- The manifesto also requires mayors to publish 100‑day priority plans and sets a new central monitoring mechanism to track municipal promises from day one of a new administration.
- Party sources and reporting say the delay reflects a deadlock between national and regional leaders over key metros, especially Johannesburg and Tshwane, and that vetting of some shortlisted nominees is still incomplete.
- The move raises electoral risk because opposition parties have already named metro candidates and ward nomination and IEC deadlines fall in late August and September, creating a narrow window to finalise vetted slates before the 4 November vote.