Political killings prompt ATM’s unique mayoral strategy

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has shortlisted four candidates for the mayoral position in eThekwini in the November 4 local government elections, saying political killings in the metro have prompted it to spread its leadership options.

The party has unveiled its candidates for municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

The ATM, which has one seat in the eThekwini council and representation in uMzumbe, KwaDukuza and Newcastle, says improving basic service delivery will be central to its election campaign.

Water supply remains among the major challenges facing communities across eThekwini, and the party says addressing persistent disruptions will be among its priorities.

The ATM’s decision adds another dimension to an increasingly crowded contest for the leadership of one of the country’s biggest metropolitan municipalities.

Several political parties have already put forward candidates they hope will take the mayoral chain after the November elections.

The DA was among the first out of the blocks announcing former MP Haniff Hoosen as its eThekwini mayoral candidate.

ActionSA has put forward its KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Zwakele Mncwango while the EFF has selected founding member, former deputy secretary-general and current MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi.

The IFP has nominated its national spokesperson and deputy transport minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa to lead its campaign for the metro.

The ANC has taken a different approach and presented a five-person shortlist from which its final candidate will be selected.

The list includes incumbent eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba, council speaker Thabani Nyawose, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, former MP Mina Soma-Lesoma and ANC veteran Maggie Govender.

The MK Party’s campaign has meanwhile undergone a shake-up after former president and party leader Jacob Zuma removed Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as its mayoral candidate shortly after her nomination.

Hlophe-Mkhwanazi was replaced by Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi, the MK Party’s national chairperson and a former ATM member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.

The change came as the MK Party launched an investigation into allegations that its councillor candidate lists had been manipulated before being submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

Hlophe-Mkhwanazi was also removed from the party’s national liaison committee pending the outcome of the investigation.

Despite her removal as the party’s preferred mayoral candidate, Hlophe-Mkhwanazi remains number one on the MK Party’s IEC-certified proportional representation list after candidate submissions had been processed.

The growing field of mayoral hopefuls sets the stage for a closely contested battle for political control of eThekwini when voters head to the polls on November 4.