ANC names Chikane, Morero and Masuku as potential Johannesburg mayoral candidates

The ANC has named veteran Frank Chikane,, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and deputy mayor Loyiso Masuku as potential candidates for the city's top political post ahead of the November 4 local government elections.

The African National Congress (ANC) has announced veteran Frank Chikane , City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero and deputy mayor Loyiso Masuku as potential mayoral candidates for the city ahead of the November 4 local government elections.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula made the announcement on Saturday at the Sandton International Convention Centre, where the party unveiled its potential mayoral candidates for eight metropolitan municipalities and 44 district municipalities.

Mbalula said Chikane, Morero and Masuku were among those being considered for the Johannesburg mayoral candidacy, with one of them to be selected as the ANC's official candidate for the metro.

Johannesburg is expected to be one of the ANC's most closely watched contests, with Chikane widely reported to be the frontrunner for the party's mayoral candidacy.

The successful ANC candidate will face a crowded field, including DA candidate Helen Zille, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, EFF candidate Tlaleng Mofokeng, Patriotic Alliance candidate Kenny Kunene, IFP candidate Mlungisi Mabaso, Rise Mzansi's Lukhona Mnguni and Build One South Africa's Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster and others.

The Johannesburg mayoral contest is expected to be among the most closely fought local government races in the country.

The city continues to face major challenges, including poor service delivery, crime, corruption, electricity and water outages, potholes, hijacked buildings, the growth of informal settlements, non-functioning traffic and street lights, water losses and poor sanitation.

Earlier, IOL reported that Mbalula had clarified that Saturday's announcement was of potential mayoral candidates, rather than the ANC's final candidates.

He said the party would announce its official mayoral candidates in September.

Mbalula also dismissed reports that Chikane had withdrawn from the race, describing them as a lie.

"See more than one name, including that lie that Chikane withdrew. You will be here. You should be here," Mbalula said.

He said the ANC was confident in its candidate-selection process and had raised the standards for those seeking mayoral positions.

"We are very confident in the process and we are very much confident that we have upped the ante in terms of the candidates, particularly mayoral candidates," he said.