As South Africa gears up for its local government elections on November 4, the African National Congress (ANC) is poised to reveal its candidate for the position of Johannesburg mayor. This announcement is eagerly anticipated as Johannesburg is set to be a battleground among the metropolitan municipalities. Currently, an ANC-led coalition governs the city, with Dada Morero at the helm as the executive mayor.
The certainty of Morero continuing as the ANC’s mayoral candidate has been in question since he lost his role as the Greater Johannesburg regional chairperson in 2025. Following this setback, the ANC initiated a comprehensive candidate-selection process after an earlier nomination did not align with the party’s national standards. In the ensuing search, Reverend Frank Chikane has emerged as a prominent contender after participating in the party’s candidate interviews.
Meanwhile, other significant political parties have already made their choices known. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have put forward Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng as their candidate. ActionSA is backing former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, demonstrating their confidence in his previous leadership. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has placed its bet on Helen Zille, who has served as both the former Cape Town mayor and the Western Cape premier.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has chosen Mlungisi Mabaso as its candidate, while parties such as Rise Mzansi, Build One South Africa (BOSA), the Land Party, and Al Jama-ah have also declared their candidates for the crucial mayoral race. The upcoming election is expected to focus intensely on key issues such as service delivery, infrastructure improvements, water and electricity supply, housing, crime rates, and local economic development.