LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: Loyiso Masuku promises culture shift in Joburg, says ANC could have done better

{JSON.stringify(article.attachments[0], null, 2)} --> Johannesburg deputy mayor Loyiso Masuku, one of the party’s potential mayoral candidates, says the ANC must rebuild public trust through accountable councillors, better revenue collection and urgent action on failing services. But will voters buy it?

Loyiso Masuku is calling for a fundamental shift in Johannesburg’s administrative culture, promising greater accountability among municipal officials and councillors as she emerges as a contender to lead a city grappling with financial pressures and persistent service delivery issues.

As the City’s deputy mayor and MMC for finance in an ANC-led administration seeking another mandate in the 4 November local government elections, her pitch raises a central question for voters: what would she do differently?

Speaking to Daily Maverick, Masuku argued that improving Johannesburg required officials to take public service seriously, hold councillors accountable, strengthen political oversight and make greater use of technology.

“Our employees firstly have to understand that it’s not about going to work and then just get a paycheck; it’s about service to the people,” she said.

The ANC hasn’t announced mayoral candidates and instead listed potential candidates . In Joburg, it named Masuku, current Mayor Dada Morero and party veteran Reverend Frank Chikane.

Masuku acknowledged that the ANC could have handled aspects of governance better amid scrutiny over Joburg’s decline under the party’s watch.

She said the party had diagnosed its shortcomings and was returning to communities to explain its programme of action. However, she maintained that the ANC needed a sole mandate to implement its plans without coalition constraints.

Masuku defended the ANC’s record, citing the commissioning of reservoirs to improve water supply, disciplinary action over wasteful expenditure, and efforts to ring-fence funding for City Power.

“These reports that we’ve taken to council are an indication of our commitment to make sure that we have a well-run city,” she said.

She argued that the ANC had begun addressing Joburg’s problems despite coalition constraints, and an outright majority would give it full scope to implement its five-year plan. The ANC governs the city in a coalition with the EFF, Patriotic Alliance and other smaller parties.

The ANC has relied on coalitions since the 2021 elections, when it secured 33.6% of the vote in Johannesburg, followed by the DA with 26.47% and ActionSA with 16.05%. No party won an outright majority, ushering in a period of coalition negotiations and political instability.

Incumbent Mayor Dada Morero was elected in August 2024, leading a Government of Local Unity coalition that has faced internal friction and repeated threats of no-confidence motions.

Masuku urged residents to judge the party on what it could achieve with a full mandate without coalition compromises.