Zungula has been a member of parliament since 2019.
ATM President, Vuyolwethu Zungula at his home in Centurion, 8 September 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has announced its parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula as the party’s mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg.
Zungula to contest for Joburg mayor
He will contest against other big names, such as the DA’s Helen Zille, for the mayoral position. His party on Monday announced its mayoral candidates for various municipalities in Gauteng.
It is still not clear what this nomination means for Zungula’s role in parliament. He has been a member of the national assembly since 2019 and has become the face of the party through that role.
The party revealed its mayoral candidates for Gauteng at an event in Soweto on Monday.
These are the ATM’s Gauteng candidates
- City of Tshwane – Mncedi Ndzwanana
- City of Johannesburg – Vuyolwethu Zungula
- City of Ekurhuleni – Velaphi Ernest Ndaba
- Sedibeng District Municipality – Khayalethu Goodman Nkenkwezi
- Midvaal Municipality – Dimakatso Pinkie Masopha
- Lesedi Local Municipality – Pulane Mokhanedi
- Emfuleni Local Municipality – Siyanda Afrika
- West Rand District Municipality – Danny Molefi Thupane.
“These candidates are not being deployed to become celebrities of political office. They are being deployed to become servants of the people.
“Their mandate is simple: listen, serve, fix, build and account,” said party spokesperson Zama Ntshona.
What does the ATM offer?
Ntshona said the ATM offers Gauteng voters a government rooted in ethical leadership, economic transformation, competent administration, reliable basic services and uncompromising accountability.
“The people of Gauteng deserve municipalities that work. They deserve leadership that serves rather than rules, builds rather than destroys, and protects public resources rather than looting them,” he said.
Ntshona said the ATM has placed its best candidates forward and is confident the party is ready to govern in municipalities.
“Gauteng is the economic heartbeat of South Africa, yet millions of its people continue to endure dry taps, sewage spills, potholes, failing infrastructure, electricity disruptions, unemployment, crime, poverty and collapsing municipal services.
“This contradiction cannot continue. The ATM refuses to accept a Gauteng where enormous wealth is generated while ordinary families are denied the most basic dignity of reliable water, sanitation, electricity, safe roads and functioning communities,” he said.
Ntshona said the ATM is not contesting these elections merely to occupy council seats or mayoral offices.
“We are contesting to govern, transform and rebuild. Our municipalities must become engines of economic transformation. Municipal procurement must, within the law, deliberately stimulate township and local economies. Local farmers, artisans, cooperatives, manufacturers, young entrepreneurs and small businesses must participate meaningfully in the billions spent by government,” he said.
He added that the ATM will fight for municipalities by fixing infrastructure, protecting public money, creating economic opportunities, supporting local businesses and delivering services without discrimination or political favouritism.
“And we send an unequivocal warning to those who regard municipalities as personal ATMs: the looting must end,” said Ntshona.
