VIDEO | Manyoni’s remarks on ANC leaders aging well resurface

Staff Reporter

Bloemfontein – As the African National Congress (ANC) intensifies its search for candidates ahead of the upcoming local government elections, on the 4 November, an old interview with former Mangaung Executive Mayor Thabo Manyoni has resurfaced.

The ANC has deployed members of its National Executive Committee (NEC) to municipalities across the country to interview prospective candidates. In some municipalities, as many as five candidates have reportedly been interviewed for a single mayoral position, marking a shift from the previous practice where regional chairpersons were often favoured for executive mayor positions.

In an exclusive interview conducted in 2022, former ANC Free State Deputy Chairperson Thabo Manyoni, who is again among the candidates for Mangaung Metro, criticised the party’s approach to leadership selection.

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He argued that the ANC often chooses “shoutists” over capable leaders and spoke about the importance of experienced leadership.

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Manyoni’s tenure as Executive Mayor remains a subject of mixed opinion.

His administration has faced criticism over projects such as the Mangaung Taxi Rank, which has often been described as a “white elephant”.

However, the refurbishment of the Dr Rantlai Molemela Stadium is widely regarded as one of the lasting achievements of his administration.

During his tenure, Mangaung Metro was also viewed by many as being in a more stable financial position than it is today.

The ANC’s minimum qualification requirement for executive mayoral candidates is a Grade 12 (Matric) certificate. However, the party has, on several occasions in the past, appointed individuals who did not possess a matric qualification to lead municipalities, a matter that has attracted public debate.

Can Manyoni save the ANC in Mangaung?

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