LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: ‘Irreparable’ tensions cloud ANC regional secretary’s exit as Ekurhuleni mayoral race heats up

Ekurhuleni Finance MMC and ANC Regional Secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi has resigned from his party position for the second time, as tensions with Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza persist and the ANC prepares to finalise its mayoral candidate before the November elections. Dlabathi will remain Finance MMC, with his resignation fuelling speculation that he is positioning himself for the mayoral race.

In what appears to be a move to prepare himself for a bid to be mayor, Ekurhuleni Finance MMC and ANC Regional Secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi opted to resign from his party position for the second time, amid alleged tensions with mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, who is also competing for the mayoral position.

His resignation comes as the ANC prepares to announce its mayoral candidates in September before the municipal elections.

Dlabathi previously stepped down as regional secretary in February, citing political tensions, but was begged by the ANC’s national and provincial structures to remain in the position.

Sources within the ANC in Ekurhuleni told Daily Maverick that Dlabathi resolved to relinquish the position so that he could “focus” on his responsibilities in government.

“The tensions between him and Xhakaza are irreparable, despite continued intervention by party structures,” the source said. “From what we understand, he felt it’s best he sacrifices himself and removes himself from party matters to focus more on his work in government.”

Dlabathi’s decision has been viewed within party circles as a strategic move as the contest for the Ekurhuleni mayoral position takes shape.

In a letter seen by Daily Maverick and addressed to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, Dlabathi said he had considered whether to remain a full-time regional secretary or pursue other employment.

He ultimately chose to relinquish the full-time party responsibility while remaining in his municipal position.

“Having applied my mind on the options to either remain full time as a regional secretary or other employment, I thus wish to inform the secretary-general that I have opted to recuse myself from the full-time responsibility of the regional secretary, thus opting to remain within my municipal responsibility,” he said.

Dlabathi said the decision was consistent with what he had told the ANC during the mayoral candidate interview process. He asked to be released from the regional secretary position with effect from the end of August 2026.

Mbalula subsequently wrote to Dlabathi confirming that the ANC had accepted his resignation. The decision follows an instruction from the ANC’s National Executive Committee that all regional secretaries must serve full time, in line with Rule 21.5.3 of the ANC constitution.

Mbalula said the directive, communicated to provincial and regional secretaries in May, left no room for exceptions.

“The directive of 29 May 2026 accordingly required every regional secretary holding employment elsewhere, within thirty (30) days, either to resign from that employment or to resign as regional secretary,” he said.