Ekurhuleni Finance MMC Dlabati steps down as ANC regional secretary
In Ekurhuleni, South Africa, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance Jongizizwe Dlabati has stepped down as regional secretary of the African National Congress (ANC). He will remain in his municipal post as the party prepares to name mayoral candidates ahead of local elections in November.
As Daily Maverick reports, the ANC accepted Dlabati's resignation from the party position. In a letter to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, the official said he had chosen municipal work over full-time employment as regional secretary. Dlabati asked to be released from these duties effective from the end of August 2026.
Full-time employment requirement
Mbalula explained that the decision was linked to a directive from the ANC National Executive Committee. Under it, regional secretaries who held other jobs had 30 days either to leave them or step down from their party posts. The directive, dated May 29, 2026, was sent to provincial and regional secretaries and provided for no exceptions.
The ANC instructed the Ekurhuleni Regional Executive Committee to hold an urgent meeting within seven days. The committee must formally record the resignation, appoint an acting regional secretary from among its members, and ensure that person is employed full-time. The interim secretary will serve until the next ANC regional conference, while Dlabati must hand over party materials and documentation.
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Selecting a mayoral candidate
Dlabati and Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza are seeking nomination as the ANC's candidate for mayor. Former Gauteng provincial legislature speaker Ntombi Mekgwe also took part in the interviews.
According to Daily Maverick's ANC sources, Dlabati received the most nominations for the proportional representation list and ranked first in the assessment by the regional candidate interview and vetting committee. Xhakaza, according to the same information, ranked third in both ratings. The publication's sources also said there were tensions between the two politicians which, according to them, party structures had been unable to overcome through intervention.
Xhakaza rejected suggestions that Dlabati's decision was linked to the mayoral race. He described the situation as compliance with ANC internal rules and noted that the same requirement to choose between a job and the post of regional secretary had been applied in other Gauteng regions.
