ANC opens mayoral nominations to non-members in bid to reboot local leadership

ANC invites public nominations non-members included

The African National Congress has for the first time opened its mayoral selection process to the public, inviting nominations for mayoral candidates that may include individuals who are not currently party members ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

Members of the public can submit nominations for candidates across South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities and 28 key secondary cities, and individuals are permitted to nominate themselves under the new Centralised Mayoral Selection Programme.

Membership requirement and timetable

According to ANC guidelines, candidates who are not party members will be required to formalise their membership and sign a declaration under Rule 4.16 of the ANC Constitution before the final list of candidates is announced. The party expects to publish the final candidates by 26 June 2026.

Eligibility and vetting

The ANC has set strict eligibility criteria for applicants. Applicants must hold at least an NQF Level 7 qualification and have a minimum of five years’ senior executive experience in public finance, governance or local government administration.

There is also a multi-layered vetting process. Candidates will be disqualified if they meet any of the following conditions:

• Convicted of crimes involving dishonesty within the past decade
• Currently subject to ANC “step-aside” disciplinary measures
• Negatively implicated in reports by the Auditor-General, the Special Investigating Unit or the Public Protector

Why the change?

ANC Head of Policy and Research Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule told the SABC the party’s research showed that South Africans want greater transparency and more influence over who governs their communities, and said the party is looking beyond political credentials for capable administrators.

“Mayors are effectively the CEOs of our cities,” Potgieter-Gqubule said.

Political analyst Kenneth Kgwadi said the move signals the ANC’s acknowledgment that it can no longer rely solely on internal structures for leadership talent and could be aimed at reducing factional battles within the party. He warned, however, that focusing on metropolitan areas could risk neglecting rural support bases.

“The ANC has finally come to its senses, realising that they do not have the required talent within the party,” Kgwadi said.

Reaction inside the party and unanswered questions

The change has prompted mixed responses within the ANC: some fear branch activists who expected deployment opportunities will be alienated, while others argue that municipalities need capable administrators rather than factional loyalists.

Attempts to obtain comment from the ANC were unsuccessful; questions sent to the office of Secretary General Fikile Mbalula were not responded to.

Context ahead of the 2026 polls

The initiative comes after years of criticism over infrastructure failures, water shortages, poor service delivery and corruption at municipal level. The ANC’s decision follows its loss of an outright national majority in the 2024 general elections and is framed by party leaders as a response to voters’ demands for improved governance.