A show-down between the two factions is expected on Monday at the first council sitting, during which the election of the mayor and speaker is expected to be conducted through a secret ballot. It's understood that the Magashule faction, which is aligned to the Radical Economic Transformation (RET), is pushing for a female mayor and have their eyes on Mapaseka Mothibi-Nkoane.  

However, the Ramaphosa faction has opted for continuity and stability and decided to continue with the election of Mxolisi Siyonzana, currently at the helm. Mothibi-Nkoane was taunted as the mayor-elect candidate but it's said that the ANC's National Executive Committee, which conducted the mayoral interviews, rejected her name.

OFM News previously reported that according to sources in the upper echelons within the party, there were two groups at opposing sides regarding the selection of the mayor. One group wanted a new female mayor to take over, whilst another group insisted that Siyonzana continues where he left off as the mayor.

This group that insisted on Siyonzana argued that he is already in the thick of things and it would be prudent for him to continue as the mayor. Prior to Mothibi-Nkoane’s candidacy for the mayoral position, residents of the Metro were mobilising civil society movements and individuals from political parties to pressure the ANC's process to elect a new mayor.

Residents held a community meeting in Bloemfontein with civil society movements such as the Mangaung Service Delivery Forum (MSDF). Residents wanted the same processes that the ANC followed to select party candidates as ward councillors, to be used in the selection of the mayor.

The ruling ANC retained the metro with a margin of 50,63% and this gave them 51 seats in the council.

OFM News