South Africa: Bosa's Joburg Mayoral Candidate Details Plan to Revive Crumbling City

What the report says

Build One South Africa has named its deputy leader, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, as the party’s candidate for Johannesburg mayor ahead of South Africa’s local government elections, according to a Daily Maverick report distributed by AllAfrica. Her campaign is being presented as a challenge to what the party describes as corruption, unstable coalitions and failing municipal infrastructure in the city.

The article says the contest comes as smaller parties have become more prominent in local politics. The Electoral Commission of South Africa confirmed on 2 September that 546 parties are competing in the elections, up from 323 in 2021. Johannesburg has been especially affected by coalition instability, having had 11 mayors in 10 years, and the report notes that the city now has a record number of parties contesting proportional representation seats.

The piece also places Bosa’s pitch in the context of a broader debate over whether small parties weaken or strengthen local government. Larger parties, including the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance, are seeking outright majorities and warning voters against fragmented coalitions. Hlazo-Webster, who is originally from Durban and has lived in Johannesburg for 14 years, argues that newer parties can offer a credible alternative because many voters have lost trust in the established political blocs. The report highlights Johannesburg’s importance as a test case for the stability of coalition politics in South Africa.