The African National Congress (ANC) is gearing up to reveal its candidate for the mayoral race in Johannesburg as South Africa approaches its local government elections on November 4. The battle for Johannesburg’s mayoral seat is anticipated to be one of the most competitive among the metropolitan municipalities in the country. Currently, the city is overseen by an ANC-led coalition with Dada Morero at the helm as the executive mayor.
However, Morero’s position as the ANC’s choice for mayor has been in jeopardy since he lost his role as the Greater Johannesburg regional chairperson in 2025. In the wake of this, the ANC initiated a more extensive selection process after an initial nomination did not align with the party’s national criteria. Reverend Frank Chikane has emerged as a prominent candidate after the party conducted interviews with various prospects.
In contrast, other major political parties have already solidified their candidates for the upcoming election. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have put forward Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, while ActionSA has backed former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has opted for Helen Zille, who previously served as Cape Town mayor and Western Cape premier.
Furthermore, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has chosen Mlungisi Mabaso as their candidate. Meanwhile, parties such as Rise Mzansi, Build One South Africa (BOSA), the Land Party, and Al Jama-ah have also announced their respective candidates. The election campaign is expected to focus significantly on critical issues including service delivery, infrastructure, water, electricity, housing, crime, and local economic development.