By Sihle Mavuso
The Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has announced mayoral candidates for six of the country’s metros, saying it will announce candidates for Tshwane and Cape Town later.
The announcement was made in Durban on Friday by the party’s Secretary-General, Sibonelo Nomvalo, following a two day meeting of the national leadership.
He said the candidates were carefully chosen and none had a criminal record.
“Regarding the criteria that we have used to appoint these members, we have been meticulous, and we have used scientific criteria that are based on their profiles and historical contribution, and credentials in the revolution.
“We are going to publicise all their profiles…. All of them here qualify for this job; all of them have got their own good histories, respectively, and we will share it with you. None of them has a criminal record,” he said.
In the City of Johannesburg, the party announced Bongani Baloyi, who once served as the mayor of Midvaal under the DA and later defected to the MKP when he closed down Xiluva, the party he formed after leaving ActionSA in March 2023.
In Ekurhuleni, the party named Thulani Shongwe, a member of the National Assembly who gained national prominence through his contributions to the ad hoc committee investigating Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations of criminal infiltration in the justice system.
In eThekwini, the party named the relatively unknown Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as its mayoral candidate, confounding expectations that former mayor Zandile Gumede or Philani “PG” Mavundla would get the nod.
Hlophe-Mkhwanazi will be up against Hanniff Hoosen from the DA, Zwakele Mncwango from ActionSA and Thabani Nyawose from the ANC, the likely candidate that would be announced by the ANC when it finally unveils its candidates for metros and big towns.
In Mangaung, the MKP named Mapaseka Mothibi as its candidate, while in Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape, the face of the party is Mzwandile Vaaiboom.
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, also in the Eastern Cape, it named Mvuleni Map as its candidate.
Nomvalo said the endorsement of the candidates marked an important step towards consolidating the party’s electoral campaign and providing voters with clear leadership choices ahead of the 4 November Local Government Elections.
“As the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, we will organise. We will mobilise. We will listen to our people. We will take the People’s Mandate to the masses. No one must be left behind,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nomvalo said Dr Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala and Pumlani Kubukeli, the two party MPs expelled on Thursday, had not faced disciplinary hearings because the party’s constitution gives its leader, Jacob Zuma, the authority to appoint and remove members from positions when he deems it necessary.
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