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ANC faces criticism over Emfuleni mayoral candidate Hassan Mako
via The Citizen3 min read
The Democratic Alliance DA in Gauteng has expressed shock following the African National Congress's ANC announcement of Hassan Mako as its mayoral candidate for the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Mako previously served as the MMC for Finance under former mayor Sipho Radebe, who was removed due to service delivery failures. The DA's mayoral candidate for Emfuleni, Kingsol Chabalala, stated that Mako was part of the leadership that led to the municipality's decline, citing his failure to restore financial stability and the municipality's ongoing debt to Eskom and Rand Water. Chabalala questioned Mako's ability to effectively lead as mayor, suggesting residents are tired of "recycled leaders." In contrast, Mzi Khumalo, spokesperson for the ANC's Gauteng Provincial Task Team, affirmed confidence in Mako, highlighting his extensive experience as a community development worker, ward councillor, and former MMC for Finance. Khumalo noted that Mako's selection followed a rigorous interview process by ANC National Office Bearers. Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast commented that the ANC's brand has been damaged by corruption and poor service delivery, predicting a downward trend in their electoral performance as younger voters prioritize basic services over the party's liberation struggle history.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
The Economic Freedom Fighters EFF have announced their mayoral candidates for the upcoming 2026 local government elections. Leader Julius Malema made the announcement on Saturday at the party's manifesto launch and 13th birthday celebration at Thohoyandou stadium. Among the candidates, former Ekurhuleni Speaker Nthabiseng Tshivenga will run for Ekurhuleni, and parliamentarian Omphile Maotwe will contest Tshwane. Malema also named candidates for other municipalities, including Lawrence Mapoulo for Polokwane, Godrich Gardee for Mbombela, Israel Monaise for Rustenburg, and Lerato Tito for Sol Plaatjie. Malema emphasized the need for more funding for local government and highlighted what he described as the EFF's successes in municipalities, such as providing sanitation, water, and stabilizing finances in Ekurhuleni, and improving cleanliness in Tshwane.
South Africa is facing a growing crisis of missing persons, with organizations like Missing Children South Africa and ACT Africa reporting a significant increase in disappearances. Families across the country are using social media to search for loved ones, from children vanishing on their way to school to adults disappearing without explanation. This situation highlights the country's vulnerability to organized crime, human trafficking, online grooming, and violent crime. The large number of cases has also raised concerns about the South African Police Service's Saps ability to respond quickly during the critical initial hours after a disappearance. While many missing persons are eventually found, a substantial number of families endure prolonged uncertainty. Missing Children South Africa estimates that about 77% of missing children are located, but nearly one in four are not immediately reunited with their families. Criminologist Bianca van Aswegen, national co-ordinator for Missing Children South Africa, noted that official statistics do not capture the full extent of the problem as many cases go unreported, and she observed an increase in child disappearances due to escalating kidnappings and human trafficking. Van Aswegen also highlighted social media as a major danger for children, especially teenagers vulnerable to grooming. Poor supervision and a lack of basic safety precautions also contribute to children disappearing. ACT Africa co-founder and chief executive Hilary
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