Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has announced Musa Novela as its candidate for Mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
In a statement on Tuesday, the party said it will nominate Novela on Thursday to succeed Herman Mashaba, who will formally resign on Wednesday.
EFF said, “The nomination follows the EFF decision that our Governance experience and understanding of the inner workings of government at all levels, and our correct manifesto priorities place the EFF as the most suitable organisation to lead the City of Johannesburg.”
EFF Johannesburg Chairperson
Novela is the Chairperson of the EFF in Johannesburg and its Caucus leader in the Council. He became a councillor after the 2016 local government elections.
EFF cited several “tremendous victories” achieved under his leadership, including insourcing of workers, opening of 24-hour clinics, and introduction of mobile clinics to cater for poorer communities and informal settlements.
Novela holds a National higher certificate in Local Governance from the
University of Johannesburg and a National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry from Tshwane University of Technology, the party said.
It added, “The EFF collective leadership has utmost confidence in the capacity, commitment and political will of Fighter Musa Novela to lead the City towards jobs and service delivery.”
DA ‘will not support EFF candidate’
Last week, DA announced Fuzela Ngobeni as its candidate for Joburg Mayor. DA head of governance James Selfe said on Monday that his party will not support an EFF candidate.
He said, “Having consulted with our coalition parties, namely the IFP, ACDP, Cope, and FF+, we are confident that when the various caucuses toe their party lines, the EFF candidate will fall out, leaving the DA and ANC candidates.”
EFF’s decision to field Novela comes soon after it announced earlier on Tuesday that it will table an urgent motion of no confidence in Democratic Alliance (DA) Mayor for the City of Tshwane, Stevens Mokgalapa.
At a press conference last week, EFF leader Julius Malema suggested that the African National Congress (ANC) or DA should consider backing an EFF candidate for Mayor of Joburg in return for EFF support in Tshwane.
Malema said, “And we are not going to enter into coalitions. You lead Tshwane exclusively and we lead Joburg exclusively, so there is no interference with each other.
“If it is going to be done with the ANC, so be it. If is it going to done with the DA, so be it. We are going to field our candidate in Joburg.”
ANC has not yet revealed its candidate, although its chairperson in the greater Johannesburg region, Geoff Makhubo, is believed to be the preferred.
News24 reported that ANC could also be considering backing a candidate from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), believed to be Bonginkosi Dlamini, for the job.