The African People’s Convention (APC) has officially named Mo-Afrika Mandla Mokoena as its mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg ahead of the upcoming local government elections. The announcement was delivered by APC leader Themba Godi at the Doornkop bus rank in Soweto on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
Leadership And Electoral Context
Mokoena currently serves as a councillor in the City of Johannesburg and holds the position of Treasurer-General within the APC. During the announcement, Mr Godi expressed his confidence in the candidate’s suitability for the metro’s top position.
Godi believes that Mokoena possesses the technical ability, skills and political acumen to run the city.
The selection comes as political parties intensify their campaigns for the municipal elections, which are scheduled to take place on 4 November 2026. The race for leadership in Johannesburg is expected to be highly contested as voters look for solutions to ongoing governance, infrastructure, and service delivery failures.
Addressing Municipal Challenges
Johannesburg has faced systemic instability in recent years, characterised by persistent power supply disruptions and critical water shortages affecting residents and businesses alike. These issues have transformed the city into a primary battleground for political organisations seeking to offer alternatives to the current administration.
As the election date approaches, the APC and other political entities are expected to ramp up public engagements to outline their strategies for addressing the city’s declining infrastructure. Further policy announcements from the party regarding their local government strategy are expected in the coming weeks.