The Battle for leadership of the ANC in Johannesburg

3rd June 2022

The Battle for leadership of the ANC in Johannesburg

The Conference of the African National Congress Conference Johannesburg Region due to take place on 4-5 June 2022 edges near.

The City of Johannesburg remains the economic hub of Africa, contributing the highest percentage as a region to the GDP of Gauteng and to the GDP of South Africa.  Johannesburg is the largest single metropolitan contributor to the national economic product . The city's contribution to the national economy is almost 16%, while it is 40% to the Gauteng province. This makes Johannesburg the largest single metropolitan contributor to the national economic product.

No doubt, the City of Johannesburg remains the critical commercial centre for South Africa with the ability to be the catalyst for growth in the country because of its physical and soft infrastructure.

It goes without saying that this is one important metro where the ANC should regain its electoral victory. The late MMC of Finance made known that R73.3 billion budget was required for the city to support essential projects to address the city’s economic needs in line with GDS 2040 strategy on socio economic and spatial development. The understanding of global, regional and subregional political economy and how Johannesburg fits in,  in this whole is critical to understand in this changing geo-politics that we have witnessed in the recent months.

Evidently, this enormous responsibility requires proficient and adept leadership, with requisite skills and integrity to run this world-class cosmopolitan city.

Historically, like many regions in the country Johannesburg did not escape the harsh burden of apartheid and equally witnessed the fierce fight against apartheid.  This was in response to a brutal system of exploitation and subjugation of black people particularly in the mining industry and in the then  labour reserves in  the form of  townships. As South Africa verges on the three decades of democracy, the antithesis to Johannesburg’s destructive legacy needs to be fast tracked. The responsibility to lead the city of Johannesburg, therefore should not be taken lightly, but should be entrusted with leadership that is capable, measured and class conscious.

The character and the level of ability of the current Regionals Coordinator of the ANC in Johannesburg Region, Dada Morero, conveys some grounds for optimism. His ideological clarity, class consciousness, statecraft and understanding of the vision for the total liberation of the people provides this optimism.

The ANC can regain its electoral victory in the capable hands of Dada Morero and his collective.

 

Written by Molly Dhlamini. She is a Sociologist, internationalist and activist. She writes in her personal capacity.