BY LERATO PHOSISI
South Africa’s local government is collapsing under the weight of its own failures, and Gauteng is bleeding the most. The ATM says enough is enough and it is coming to take back power from the ruins.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, unveiling a full slate of mayoral candidates for Gauteng with a single, uncompromising message: local government must work again.
In a decisive move aimed at reclaiming municipalities crippled by decay, corruption and chronic incompetence, the party announced eleven candidates who will lead its charge across the province’s metros, districts and local municipalities.
Gauteng, the economic heartbeat of South Africa, continues to present a painful contradiction. It generates enormous wealth, yet millions of its residents endure dry taps, sewage spills, gaping potholes, collapsing infrastructure, relentless power disruptions, unemployment and crime.
The ATM says this contradiction cannot be allowed to continue. “The people are not asking for miracles. They are demanding a government that works,” the party declared, insisting it is not entering the race merely to occupy council seats but to govern, transform and rebuild. At the centre of the ATM’s campaign is a plan to turn municipalities into engines of economic transformation.
The Movement has pledged that municipal procurement will, within the confines of the law, deliberately stimulate township and local economies – ensuring that local farmers, artisans, cooperatives, manufacturers and young entrepreneurs meaningfully benefit from the billions spent by government.
“Young people cannot remain spectators in the economy of their own communities,” the party stated.
The ATM further issued a stern warning to those who treat municipalities as personal Automated Teller Machines. The party vowed zero tolerance for tender corruption, ghost employees, political patronage, incompetent appointments and the theft of resources meant for poor communities.
The ATM described its candidates not as political celebrities, but as servants of the people, deployed with a clear mandate: listen, serve, fix, build and account.
The Gauteng mayoral candidates are:
1. Mncedi Ndzwanana – City of Tshwane
2. Vuyolwethu Zungula – City of Johannesburg
3. Velaphi Ernest Ndaba – City of Ekurhuleni
4. Khayalethu Goodman Nkenkwezi – Sedibeng District
5. Dimakatso Pinkie Masopha – Midvaal
6. Pulane Mokhanedi – Lesedi
7. Siyanda Afrika – Emfuleni
8. Danny Molefi Thupane – West Rand District
9. Reneilwe Tiny Thupane – Mogale City
10. Andiswa Xesibe – Merafong City
11. Nnini Rebecca Mokoena – Rand West City
According to the ATM, the 2026 elections must serve as a referendum on years of municipal decline. The party is positioning itself as an alternative rooted in ethical leadership, competent administration, reliable basic services and uncompromising accountability.
The message from the Movement is unambiguous: the time for excuses is over.
“The people of Gauteng deserve municipalities that work. They deserve leadership that serves rather than rules, builds rather than destroys, and protects public resources rather than looting them,” the party said.
As the countdown to 2026 begins, the ATM says it is ready to govern – and ready to serve with honesty.
