The race to become the next Executive Mayor of Free State’s only metro municipality, Mangaung, has officially begun, with seven candidates appearing before an ANC interview panel this week at Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
Among those vying for the influential position is incumbent Mayor Gregory Nthatisi, as the governing party moves to fill one of the country's most politically significant municipal leadership posts amid growing pressure to restore stability, improve service delivery, and rebuild public confidence in the metro.
The interviews form part of the ANC's internal selection process to identify a preferred candidate – with leadership credentials, governance experience, and ability to steer the troubled municipality out of its prolonged political and service delivery challenges – to be recommended for election by the Mangaung Metro Council post November 4 local government elections.
With the contest shaping up as a high-stakes political battle, Nthatisi faces stiff competition from former ANC Free State Deputy Chairperson and former Mangaung Executive Mayor Thabo Manyoni, as well as former Free State Finance MEC Gadija Brown, among other contenders.
The race is being closely watched by ANC structures, councillors, and residents, with the outcome expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of the metro.
According to a source within the ANC's regional structures, Nthatisi, Manyoni, and Brown are widely regarded as the leading contenders and are considered strong candidates not only for the mayoral position but also for the metro's top political leadership.
"If you look at the shortlisted candidates, although the process is still at an early stage, these three comrades have the experience, leadership credentials, and political standing required to lead the municipality," said a party insider.
"The frontrunner is likely to become mayor, while the second and third-ranked candidates could be considered for the positions of deputy mayor and speaker, respectively," the source added.
Other candidates include current ANC Regional Chairperson and Mangaung Speaker Lawrence Mathae, Regional Deputy Chairperson Vusi Soqaga, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Integrated Development Plan and Performance Theodorah (Theo) Mosala, and Deputy Mayor Lulama Titi Odili who recently made headlines following the arrest of her Nigerian husband, Lyndon Adentuji Odili, commonly known as Eric. He is facing 18 counts of allegedly harbouring, aiding, abetting, assisting or enabling undocumented foreign nationals to remain in South Africa in contravention of the country's immigration laws.
Meanwhile, speaking to Journal News on Thursday, incumbent Executive Mayor Nthatisi expressed confidence that he will retain the mayoral office following the November local government elections.
He said he believes he has earned the trust of Mangaung residents through his hands-on leadership and direct engagement with communities.
"All I can tell you is that I've built a sound relationship with people across the metro. I enjoy serving them, and I believe they have come to know me because I have made myself accessible and exposed myself to the challenges they face. Otherwise, they wouldn't have known me," he said.
Nthatisi was appointed Executive Mayor of Mangaung in 2023, following a resignation of the former mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana who had a fallout with the regional structure.
A veteran anti-apartheid activist and former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) combatant, he has had a long political career spanning the liberation struggle. In 2020, he served as Secretary-General of the MK Council.
