News24 | ANC Gauteng intervenes as Ekurhuleni mayor fires finance MMC amid leadership battle

ANC Gauteng has intervened after Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza (right) moved to fire finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi (left), who is reportedly the frontrunner to become the ANC’s mayoral candidate for the metro.

Gallo Images/OJ Koloti

• The Gauteng ANC has intervened after Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza fired finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi, citing a 29 May directive by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
• Dlabathi, a top mayoral candidate, was nearly axed amid tensions over the ANC’s mayoral selection for Ekurhuleni.
• The ANC’s provincial task team deemed Xhakaza’s move premature, stressing that approval is needed for mayoral committee changes.

The ANC in Gauteng has had to intervene after Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza fired finance member of the mayoral committee (MMC) Jongizizwe Dlabathi, citing a 29 May directive issued by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

Xhakaza’s move to fire Dlabathi comes as the ANC finalises its mayoral candidates for metros and secondary cities.

Both Xhakaza and Dlabathi are in the running to be the ANC’s Ekurhuleni candidate after sitting through interviews in the past weeks. Former speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Ntombi Mekgwe is also said to be in the running to become the ANC’s mayoral candidate in the metro.

When News24 approached Dlabathi, he said: “I am still an MMC.”

Xhakaza did not answer calls.

READ | Chikane, Maluleke and Mekgwe emerge as frontrunners in ANC Gauteng metros mayoral races

The ANC Gauteng provincial task team (PTT) has since written to the party’s regional office bearers.

In the Wednesday letter, PTT coordinator Sochayile Khanyile wrote that decisions regarding the need to make changes to the mayoral committee cannot be taken without the approval of the party’s provincial officials, following a presentation by the regional office bearers.

“The regional office bearers are instructed to deliberate on the contents of the letter by the executive mayor and the matters which were raised by yourselves at the virtual meeting we held last night.

Khanyile further wrote:

Until then, the provincial officials believe the intention to make changes to the mayoral committee is premature and cannot be considered.

According to sources, Dlabathi emerged as the preferred candidate, securing the number one spot on the ANC’s list.

This led to Dlabathi’s near axing in what has been described as a “desperate” move against him by Xhakaza.

News24 has seen a letter to the regional office bearers in the ANC Ekurhuleni region, in which Xhakaza stated that he had decided to give effect to the organisational directive to relieve Dlabathi of his full-time executive duties, in line with Mbalula’s directive.

READ | Ekurhuleni budget passes after 3 failed attempts as ANC ‘caves’ in to DA demands

In the letter, Xhakaza further stated that he was appointing Nomadlozi Nkosi as acting MMC for finance.

“This is after careful consideration in order to strengthen the organisational capacity towards the 4 November 2026 local government elections,” he wrote.

The 29 May directive instructed regional secretaries who hold government positions to resign from their roles or forfeit their elected positions. Dlabathi was among those affected.

They were given until the end of June to do so.

According to an insider in the Ekurhuleni regional executive committee (REC):

There was no ROB (regional officer bearer) decision to make changes to the mayoral committee, nor was there any approval by the upper structures. It was a desperate move.

The source alleged that Xhakaza’s letter came after the REC nominated Dlabathi to stand for the position of executive mayor instead of Xhakaza.

“As we are made aware, Comrade Jongizizwe received the highest nominations for PR, with Comrade Doctor (Xhakaza) being number three.

“Comrade Jongizizwe was ranked number one after interviews (with ANC officials), with a score of 127 out of 140, with Comrade Doctor coming third with a score of 114 out of 140,” the source claimed.

The decision regarding who will be the mayoral candidate for the City of Ekurhuleni ultimately lies with the ANC top seven.

The ANC plans to unveil its mayoral candidate on Saturday at the Sandton Convention Centre.