ANC fields eight mayoral hopefuls in Rustenburg as internal divisions surface

According to The Citizen, the African National Congress (ANC) has nominated eight candidates to contest the mayoral post in the Rustenburg local municipality in the North West.

Who is on the list

The Citizen lists the following contenders from the ANC:

• Shiela Mabale-Huma, the incumbent mayor and ANC Bojanala regional chair;
• Paul Sebegoe, former MEC;
• Jeanette Dibetso-Nyathi, former mayor of Rustenburg;
• Koketso Mogomotsi, the ANC’s provincial elections manager and a former speaker of the Rustenburg council;
• Matthews Wolmarans, former Rustenburg mayor and ex-MP;
• Wendy Matsemela, chair of the ANC Women’s League and former MEC.

According to The Citizen, these figures are among an unprecedented eight ANC nominees for the Rustenburg mayoralty.

Political backdrop

The Citizen reports that political observers view the surge of candidates as a sign of significant internal strife within the ANC.

The Citizen also reports that Rustenburg became a hung municipality after the 2021 municipal elections, which forced the ANC to form a coalition with smaller parties.

Implications

These multiple nominations reflect contested leadership within the party at local level, according to The Citizen. The presence of former mayors and senior regional figures on the list highlights the high stakes of the selection for control of the Rustenburg council.