ANC 'felt pressure on candidate selection'

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2016-06-30 08:47

 ~ (Iavan Pijoos, News24)

Johannesburg - The ANC felt a lot of pressure from people in various areas of the country about its selection of candidates for this year’s local government elections, a City of Johannesburg official said on Wednesday.

The ANC’s national executive spent several days on candidate names and were very unhappy with some of them, mayoral committee member for urban management Ros Greeff said.

This was the reason they chose Thoko Didiza - someone they perceived to be neutral - as mayoral candidate for Tshwane for the August 3 elections, she said.

Greeff was speaking at a discussion between four political parties on their plans for Johannesburg after the elections. The event was hosted by the Jewish Board of Deputies.

Last week, residents in various parts of Tshwane began protesting, looting and destroying property, apparently in protest against the ANC’s nomination of Didiza. Five people were killed and scores arrested.

The EFF declined to attend the event without giving a reason.

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said the reasons why people resorted to burning public property needed to be understood, otherwise such acts would continue indefinitely.

ACDP MP Steven Swart said the best-run municipality would be a coalition with the DA.

He was furious about the heavy security at the entrance to the Jewish community centre, in Raedene, where the event was held, saying it was like a prison.

Swart said people of faith were needed to move the country forward.