5,000 hopefuls vie for ANC mayoral spots ahead of local elections

More than 5,000 people have applied to be considered for ANC mayoral positions in metropolitan municipalities ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with only 150 candidates expected to proceed to interviews.

The much-anticipated local government elections will be held in November 2026.

Speaking at a media briefing this week following the ANC National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at Chief Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg, Fikile Mbalula said the party was finalising its candidate selection process.

"We are going to launch our manifesto in August. We are finalising the selection of our candidates in July," he said.

Mbalula said the announcement of mayoral candidates for metropolitan municipalities and secondary cities, initially scheduled for June 27, had been postponed until the end of July.

He dismissed speculation about frontrunners for mayoral positions, saying the interview process had not yet begun.

"We have not even started interviewing mayors, and there is already information circulating about who the frontrunners are.”

“On Monday, we will begin the first round of mayoral interviews here at Luthuli House," he said.

"The people who have already been identified as frontrunners are being placed under unnecessary pressure because expectations are being created. Candidates will be selected carefully."

Mbalula said candidates would be assessed on merit, leadership ability and their capacity to manage the economic demands of each municipality.

"Municipalities are not going to be led by people with no qualifications. They are going to be led by people who are rooted in their communities, have political experience and are qualified to run municipalities," he said.

He added that current mayors would also be given an opportunity to present their case before the ANC's top leadership.

"Each of them will appear before the ANC's top seven leadership officials and be interviewed in person, not by Zoom or telephone. They will explain what they can do for our communities."

Mbalula said the party had considered a broad range of candidates, including ANC supporters who are not party members.

"We received more than 5,000 applications from people who wanted to be considered. These applications did not come from members of other political parties," he said.

He clarified that the figure relates only to metropolitan municipalities.

"Only the metros account for the more than 5,000 people who applied to participate and be considered for ANC interviews."

According to Mbalula, some applicants have already been shortlisted.

"We are looking at interviewing no fewer than 150 candidates. Once that process is complete, we will move towards the ANC manifesto launch."

He said the party remained committed to improving local government performance.

"To the people of South Africa, we say the ANC hears you, the ANC is working, and the ANC asks for your support once more as we fix local government and transform the economy together."

South Africa has  eight metropolitan municipalities: Buffalo City (East London), Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini (Durban), Johannesburg, Mangaung (Bloemfontein), Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha) and Tshwane (Pretoria).

Last month, the ANC opened its mayoral selection process to the public, inviting ordinary South Africans - including non-members - to nominate candidates for the 2026 local government elections.

The initiative forms part of the party's new Centralised Mayoral Selection Programme and marks the first time the ANC has formally stated that party membership is not a requirement for consideration for some of the country's most influential local government positions.

Under the programme, members of the public can submit nominations for mayoral candidates in the country's eight metropolitan municipalities and 28 key secondary cities. 

Individuals are also permitted to nominate themselves.

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