Residents are today set to hold a community meeting in Bloemfontein with civil society moments such as the Mangaung Service Delivery Forum (MSDF). 

According to information, residents want the same processes that the ANC followed to select party candidates as ward councillors, to be used for the mayoral election. 

This means that residents want to have a say as to who becomes the mayor of the troubled Metro and not only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC. 

MSDF coordinator, Mpho Mojanaga, confirms this and says he was approached by residents to be part of Sunday's meeting where such issues will be discussed at length.  

The ANC retained the Mangaung Metro Municipality with 50% during the 2021 Local Government Elections held on 1 November. The party received 51 seats.

According to sources in the upper echelons within the party, there are two groups at the opposing end regarding the selection of the mayor.  

One group wants a new female mayor to take over as the new mayor. However, another group that seems to have an upper hand, wants former speaker, Mxolisi Siyonzana, to continue where he left off as the mayor.  The argument is that Siyonzana has already gotten used to the thick of things and it would be prudent for him to continue as the mayor.

OFM News