DURBAN, Sunday 27 September 2026 — The African Transformation Movement is fielding four mayoral candidates in eThekwini for the 4 November local government elections, saying concerns over political killings prompted the party to spread its leadership options in one of South Africa’s most closely watched metropolitan contests.
The ATM announced the approach as it unveiled local government candidates for KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape at an event in Umgababa, south of Durban.
The party currently holds one seat in the eThekwini council and is seeking to expand its representation in the metro.
Its decision to field four people as mayoral candidates differs from the approach taken by most major parties, which have identified a single preferred candidate to lead the municipality.
ATM cites political killings for multiple-candidate approach
The ATM said political killings in eThekwini informed its decision to maintain four leadership options.
The party did not identify the four candidates by name in the publicly available SABC report on Sunday’s launch.
South African voters do not directly elect metropolitan mayors.
Residents elect ward councillors and vote for political parties through the proportional representation ballot, after which the newly constituted municipal council elects the mayor.
A party’s mayoral candidate is therefore its preferred choice for the council position rather than a candidate appearing on a separate mayoral ballot.
The ATM’s four-candidate approach gives the party several potential choices should it become involved in negotiations over the leadership of the next eThekwini council.
Water placed at centre of campaign
The party identified basic service delivery, particularly eThekwini’s continuing water problems, as a central campaign issue.
Water interruptions have affected communities across the metro and have become a major issue in campaigning ahead of the November election.
The ATM said its candidates would focus on improving municipal services while seeking to expand the party’s presence in KwaZulu-Natal.
The party also currently has representation in uMzumbe, KwaDukuza and Newcastle.
Its KwaZulu-Natal campaign forms part of a broader attempt to increase its local-government footprint beyond its existing representation.
Crowded field competing for eThekwini
The ATM enters an eThekwini contest involving several nationally represented parties and established local political organisations.
The ANC’s certified proportional representation list is headed by incumbent mayor Cyril Xaba.
Xaba is also among five people shortlisted by the ANC for the mayoralty, alongside Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Mina Soma-Lesoma, Thabani Nyawose and Maggie Govender.
The DA has selected Haniff Hoosen as its mayoral candidate, while the EFF has named Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi and the IFP has selected Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
ActionSA has selected Zwakele Mncwango.
The MK Party replaced Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as its mayoral candidate with Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi, although Hlophe-Mkhwanazi remains number one on the party’s certified proportional representation list.
The competing candidates make eThekwini one of the most politically diverse metropolitan contests in the November election.
ATM also pushes national proposal to rename South Africa
Alongside its municipal campaign, the ATM used Sunday’s event to reiterate its proposal to rename South Africa as Azania.
The proposal extends beyond the powers of a municipal council and forms part of the party’s national political programme.
ATM president Caesar Nongqunga has led the party since succeeding founding president Vuyolwethu Zungula in 2025.
Zungula moved into the role of parliamentary leader following the leadership change.
The party describes its current strategy as focused on building stronger local structures ahead of the municipal elections.
Council arithmetic will determine mayor
The number of ATM mayoral candidates does not mean eThekwini will elect four mayors.
The council elected on 4 November will choose a single executive mayor.
If no party controls enough seats to elect a mayor independently, parties may need to negotiate support for a candidate as part of wider arrangements over the leadership and governance of the metro.
The ATM’s current single-seat representation means any influence it exercises after the election will depend on the composition of the new council.
Sunday’s announcement nevertheless establishes an unusual leadership strategy ahead of that vote: rather than entering the final campaign with one publicly designated mayoral option, the ATM is maintaining four.
Further details about the identities of those candidates and how the party intends to select between them will clarify how the arrangement would operate once the new eThekwini council is constituted.
