The long-awaited ANC Johannesburg regional conference, the battleground for two of its most prominent leaders, is set to take place on Wednesday after months of postponement.
Regional leader and Joburg mayor Dada Morero is seeking re-election, while finance MMC Loyiso Masuku hopes to topple him from the region’s top position.
Morero, said to have the backing of secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and allies of President Cyril Ramaphosa, previously led as regional secretary under former regional chairperson Geoff Makhubo, who died in 2021.
At the time, Masuku served as regional deputy secretary. The two who lead the two biggest factions in the region have been battling for control of the party and the municipality.
Masuku enjoys support of the ANC women’s and youth league structures and is a known ally of deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.
While Morero is said to enjoy favour with the branches, Masuku’s win could be a game-changer for the party’s national leaders who will be seeking support from regions when the party heads to its national conference in 2027.
An insider told the Sunday Times that money had allegedly exchanged hands in what has now become an ANC tradition of possible bribes to delegates.
Weekly diagrams and pie charts had put Masuku ahead in terms of branch nominations by a slight margin, with Morero tagging closely behind. However, that dynamic reportedly changed towards the tail end of the branch biennial general meeting nominations that have taken place across the region.
Despite the nominations, insiders have claimed that the contest will hinge on the use of money to sway the voting process.
“Money is becoming the decider … Those who have it will emerge, but if the delegates have political character, they will choose those who will save the ANC.”
The ANC’s use of money to win conferences was the cause of tensions in the party in 2017, when it was revealed that close to a billion rand was used to fund Ramaphosa’s presidency.
If we are serious about building the ANC, we will back a Thuthu [Zuma] because she is politically clear, sober and has the political pedigree ― she is not living in the shadow of her parents but is politically grounded and assertive
— Delegate
This tradition has cascaded to regions and provinces, with factions accusing each other of using money to win elections.
One insider added that branch members from historical ANC strongholds in the region, including Soweto, have borne the brunt of the party’s poor performance.
“They feel marginalised, largely by people who have come from other provinces to settle in Johannesburg and it creates a problem. You can see there is a sympathy around people who have been part of Soweto and Johannesburg from birth, versus those who have come to the city to work, having been born in other provinces.”
Johannesburg-born Morero is said to receive favour, while Eastern Cape native Masuku is disadvantaged in this regard.
Outgoing regional secretary Sasabona Manganye, who has been plagued by scandal, will go up against Lebohang “Mshengu” Tshabalala, who is said to enjoy huge support.
“This support largely comes from Soweto ... You can see there is a sympathy for those who are local and a push to support them [over] those who come from elsewhere.”
Manganye was largely known to have the favour of former ANC provincial secretary TK Nciza and premier Panyaza Lesufi before the province was disbanded following its poor performance in the 2024 elections.
For the deputy chairperson position, outgoing regional spokesperson Masilo Serekele will be going up against seasoned regional executive additional member Matshidiso Mfikoe, who is currently deployed to the Gauteng legislature as an MPL.
Key regional leader Eunice Mgcina, who was part of the three names recommended for the position of Johannesburg mayor, will also be in the running.
Mgcina previously challenged Morero for the chairperson position and lost.
Incumbent Maxwell Nedzamba will take on Bonolo Ramokhele, a chartered accountant and former board chairperson of Joburg’s City Power entity, for the position of regional treasurer.
Muzi Ndlovu, a close Morero ally, has also thrown his hat in the ring for the regional treasurer position.
“Bonolo might emerge in the tough contest,” one party insider said, adding that Ramokhele’s profession worked in his favour.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter Thuthukile Zuma will contest for the regional deputy secretary position against Joburg economic development MMC Nomoya Mnisi.
A third woman, youth leader Lerato K Bob, is also a hopeful in this position.
A delegate told the publication that the conference needs to be clear on the young leaders it wants to platform.
“If we are serious about building the ANC, we will back a Thuthu because she is politically clear, sober and has the political pedigree ― she is not living in the shadow of her parents but is politically grounded and assertive.”
“The Joburg ANC region has lost its way. We have abandoned our politics and it is such a shame. Our organisation needs to return to the ground and be rooted in its people. We can no longer afford to have an organisation that is loyal to members pushing select priorities; we need to be an organisation that puts forward the needs of our communities.”
Key to the elective conference will be the tabling of the organisational, political and financial reports to detail the work done by the previous regional executive, which has since been disbanded and converted to a regional task team after its term of office lapsed.
The conference will start on Wednesday in Sandton and is expected to conclude by Friday.
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