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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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