Overview
- At a Sandton event on Saturday the ANC revealed names of shortlisted nominees but said it will announce final mayoral candidates in September.
- Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula said the delay is intended to keep the campaign focused on the party and to reduce the risk of defeated contenders defecting or undermining campaigns.
- Observers and insiders say the pause reflects unresolved vetting gaps and hotly contested power struggles in key metros, notably Johannesburg where Dada Morero, Loyiso Masuku and Frank Chikane remain central figures.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa used the party’s Diepsloot manifesto launch to promise six action areas for local government and hard accountability measures, including public performance agreements and a 100‑day delivery timetable for mayors and councillors.
- Practical deadlines are tightening: ward nominations and IEC candidate lists must be completed in late August and mid‑September, which compresses the time available to resolve unity, vetting and coalition questions while service delivery failures shape voter decisions.