Frank Chikane floated to job mayor Dada Morero keeps bungling

Struggle veteran and cleric Reverend Frank Chikane. Picture: Jacques Nelles It is not surprising that the name of struggle stalwart Reverend Frank Chikane has, seemingly, been tossed into the ring as a possible ANC candidate for the mayor of Johannesburg job. After all, Chikane is one of the few icons associated with the political party who has an unbesmirched record.

Just the sort of person, so you would think, to bring new probity and integrity to a city which has been run into the ground by ANC cadres and their fellow travellers through a mixture of looting and downright incompetence. Clearly, Chikane is not enamoured with the possibility of being the rescuer, as he indicated by dismissing as “not worthy of comment” the story without a source. The suggestion could, quite clearly, be kite-flying by one of the ANC factions, possibly those who want to get rid of the incumbent, the less-than-competent Dada Morero.

As if his stakes couldn’t be lower, the bumbler admitted in parliament this week that his members of the mayoral committee are chosen for their political skills – whatever those are – rather than their ability to do the jobs in their portfolios. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has confirmed Morero is headed for the dustbin of history, but said not long ago that the party would be casting its net far and wide in search of a replacement. Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast has it spot on when he sayspeople vote for a party, not a personalityin South Africa. The ANC is synonymous with “institutionalised corruption, which is the problem”.