South Africa: Why Mayors of Country's Metros are in Premier Position

Posted to the web 4 August 2008 Karen Heese and Kevin Allan Johannesburg DUMA Nkosi, the executive mayor of the Ekurhuleni metro, was recently replaced by Helen Mekgwe, the speaker, in what is widely understood as a change in politically aligned (African National Congress) ANC leadership in the metro. There is also speculation that the regional ANC had grown tired of Nkosi's protection of police chief Robert McBride's ever more embarrassing exploits. Media headlines have, however, been filled by the high-profile departures of premiers aligned to President Thabo Mbeki, Western Cape's Ebrahim Rasool and Eastern Cape's Nosimo Balindlela, in what is also viewed as political fallout from the ANC's December Polokwane conference. By contrast, the departure of Nkosi received only passing media attention as a local Gauteng... [read full story]