ANC’s new man in Johannesburg

Reverend Frank Chikane is expected to be announced as the ANC’s new mayoral candidate in the City of Johannesburg.

This comes after a long process, which formed part of the ANC’s Centralised Mayoral Selection Programme.

This programme introduced an online public nomination portal that enabled ordinary citizens, civic organisations, and professionals to nominate candidates.

For the first time, ANC membership was no longer a prerequisite for becoming mayor. The party has headhunted talent from broader society to improve governance.

Nominees must meet certain standards, including an NQF Level 7 qualification and at least 5 years of experience in local government or executive leadership.

They also undergo background checks, qualification vetting, and potential lifestyle audits to ensure ethical suitability.

Chikane emerged as the frontrunner for the ANC’s mayoral candidacy in Johannesburg and is expected to be announced in the coming days.

Not everyone is convinced he can fix the mess. One of the sceptics is the DA’s mayoral candidate, Helen Zille.

“The ANC elders and others want Frank Chikane to come in. The presidency would also want an outsider, and they are going to back Frank Chikane,” she said.

“Frank Chikane is a very pleasant, nice person. He is a warm and decent man. However, I am not sure he is a doer.”

“I don’t know if he would be able to get the ANC in Joburg under control because the factional fights are totally vicious.”

She explained that the ANC is experiencing internal turmoil, with factions divided between Dada Morero and Loyiso Masuku.

This will make it very difficult for any ANC mayor to balance vested interests and get anything done, with faction fighting pulling in different directions.

Frank Chikane’s path to becoming Johannesburg’s mayoral candidate

Frank Chikane matriculated from Orlando High School in Soweto in 1971 and studied science at the University of the North, now the University of Limpopo.

He became involved in politics during his student years and served as the leader of the Student Aid Committee, which served as the SRC.

After leaving university, he taught Mathematics and Physical Science at Naledi High School in Soweto.

After a run-in with the security police, he joined Christ for all Nations (CFAN) in 1975, convinced of God’s calling in his life.

Again, the security establishment threatened CFAN, and he left to work as an evangelist with his church, the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM).

He remained politically active and was one of the founders of the United Democratic Front (UDF), where he served as Vice-President from 1983 to 1985.

In 1985, he was arrested, charged and tried for treason with sixteen other leaders of the UDF. He was acquitted the same year.

He later continued his education, obtaining a master’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Natal.

He also completed a master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In 1995, after the democratic elections, he became a special advisor to the deputy president, Thabo Mbeki.

He was appointed Director General in the Office of the Deputy President in 1996 and a Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet in 1998.

After the 1999 elections, he was appointed Director General in the Presidency and Secretary of the Cabinet, where he remained until 2009.

He was also elected to the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in 1997, solidifying his prominent position in the party.

He has published several articles and books, including his 1988 autobiography, No Life of My Own, and his 2012 book, Eight Days in September: The Removal of Thabo Mbeki.

He was appointed as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Religious Studies at UCT and President of the AFM International.

He has served on various boards of companies and continues to do so, and is the Moderator of the Churches Commission on International Affairs (CCIA).