Mayoral mayhem in Joburg, Tshwane
Ace Magashule confirmed on Thursday morning that the ANC would field their chairperson in Johannesburg, Geoff Makhubo, for the mayoral position.
Gauteng's two major metros were embroiled in political horse-trading on Thursday as both the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg needed to appoint mayors.
In Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba's vacant mayoral seat needs to be filled.
In Tshwane, the suspension of mayor Stevens Mokgalapa after a controversial audio recording came to light means the city needs to elect an acting mayor.
Mokgalapa and the city's MMC for Transport, Sheila Senkubuge have been placed on special leave from Thursday.
Two motions of no confidence are being proposed against Mokgalapa though.
The ANC’s chairperson in Tshwane, Kgosi Maepa, has confirmed they will table their own motion against the suspended mayor despite the fact that the EFF's application for such a motion is expected to be heard in council on Thursday morning.
Maepa said his party will vote on any motion regarding Mokgalapa.
"If a cat is black or white or red, or silver- I don't know if there are red or blue cats - but if a cat is brown, if it catches mice, it's still a cat," he said.
The DA in Gauteng has named MMC Abel Tau to stand in as acting mayor.
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Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is in the city of gold for the election of a new mayor.
The EFF nominated Musi Novela as their preferred candidate while the DA is putting forward Funzela Ngobeni.
Magashule confirmed on Thursday morning that the ANC would field their chairperson in Johannesburg, Geoff Makhubo.
"The voice of the electorate must be respected, and therefore we are fielding a candidate," said Magashule. "The rest will be history."
In the wake of heated speculation about coalition talks in the run-up to the mayoral election, Magashule said: "In politics, you talk to different parties, whether they agree or disagree. But you try and engage anybody for the sake of the city."
He added: "Such discussions will continuously take place. That is why we are field our own candidate."
The DA’s provincial chairperson Michael Moriarty has described Makhubo as "thoroughly compromised”.