The MK Party has thrown down the gauntlet in the capital, naming former Tshwane municipal director Annie Matime as its mayoral candidate.
The party announced her candidacy on Saturday for the City of Tshwane in the hotly contested November 4 local government elections.
Matime fills one of the two metro slots the party left empty when it unveiled the rest of its mayoral line-up in Durban a fortnight ago.
Cape Town is the only metro where it has yet to throw its hat in the ring.
The party said Matime spent more than 20 years in municipal government before it picked her.
“Nkele is an accomplished public-sector professional, community leader and business administrator with over two decades of experience in municipal governance and economic development,” it said in a statement.
“Nkele holds an MBA, honours qualifications in geography and theology, and brings extensive leadership experience across civic, community, church and development organisations.
“This combination of professional expertise, leadership and community commitment positions her as a capable and experienced choice to lead Tshwane under the banner of the MK Party.”
Her unveiling came three days after Zuma pulled the plug on Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi‘s eThekwini mayoral bid and replaced her with Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi.
He also dissolved the party’s Presidential Task Team and ordered an investigation into allegations that duly nominated councillor candidates were struck off the lists the party submitted to the IEC and other names put in their place.
It was the second time in six weeks that Zuma had disbanded the task team.
Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and senior party official Sibonelo Maphumulo were both removed from the National Party Liaison Committee, the structure through which parties deal with the IEC on electoral matters, leaving the MK Party without either of its two representatives on it.
National spin doctor Sifiso Mahlangu said the party had opened an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the councillor candidate lists.
The investigation would “establish the full facts” and hold anyone found responsible to account under the party’s rules, he said.
Mahlangu said Ramaphosa had called on members and structures to “unite behind our candidates and rally behind our councillor and mayoral candidates”.
The party cannot change the councillor names already lodged with the IEC, which closed nominations at 5pm on August 28.
Matime will run against the DA’s Cilliers Brink, who was voted out as Tshwane mayor in September 2024 when an ANC motion of no confidence carried by 120 votes to 87 with one abstention, ending 18 months in the chain.
Also on the ballot is ActionSA’s Nasiphi Moya, the sitting mayor.
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