ANC Mayoral Candidates: When the ANC is transparent, the DA will debate
It is a sad irony that, as political parties gathered yesterday to pledge to uphold the Independent Electoral Commission's code of conduct, the ANC announced that they would not reveal the names of their mayoral candidates in any municipality except Cape Town.
At the signing of the pledge in Midrand, over 20 participating political parties undertook to abide by the values of the constitution, and emphasised the importance of ensuring that voters receive the information they need to make an informed choice. Mayors in an Executive Mayoral System have significant powers.
Voters have the right to know who they will be voting for to fill these crucial positions. Over the past five years they have seen what a crucial difference competent mayors can make in local government.
Why did the ANC make an exception of Cape Town? ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, provided the answer to this question when he conceded that Tony Ehrenreich was foisted on the ANC by COSATU.
It is quite clear that COSATU gave the ANC an ultimatum that it could not refuse. And in a further significant admission, Mantashe said the nomination of mayoral candidates in other towns and cities would cause much more division in ANC ranks prior to elections.