83 parties contest Joburg polls, wards field 49 candidates

Each of Johannesburg's 135 wards has a minimum of 49 candidates contesting, with wards 10 and 18 each fielding 63 candidates. Heard of the Gap Fixers of South Africa? Or the Imstaying Party? What about the Organic Humanity Movement or the Lekwe Bepe Kingdom Party? They are some of the 83 political parties contesting this year’s local government elections in Johannesburg. 83 parties contest Joburg polls With the 83 parties (including independents) contesting the election, each of Johannesburg’s 135 wards has a minimum of 49 candidates contesting the election in just that one ward. LIVE interactive map, latest news, multimedia and more! View Map Most wards have more than 50 candidates standing, with wards 10 (Lenasia) and 18 (Eldorado Park) each fielding 63 candidates. Only four wards – 94 which includes Diepsloot and Kyalami; 134 which includes Northriding and Randpark Ridge; 90 which includes Craighall and Dunkeld; and 126 which includes Weltevreden Park – have 49 candidates standing. There are more than 7 400 candidates contesting the ward vote and each paid a deposit of R2 800 for political party candidates and R1 800 for independents. Because Johannesburg is a metro, all voters will receive two long ballot papers – one for the ward councillor and another for the proportional representation (PR) councillor. Besides the usual political parties like the ANC, DA, Action SA, Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front plus, EFF and African Christian Democratic Party, there are some interesting and unusual parties putting up candidates. Interesting and unusual parties putting up candidates The Lekwe Bepe Kingdom Party’s website only says it is a democratic movement committed to ethical leadership, constitutional governance and sustainable development. The African Renaissance Unity (ARU) party was relaunched in Durban in July this year. The party was first formed in 2018 by Bryce Mthimkhulu. Siphephile Mahlaba is interim president of the party. Ousted uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK) founder Jabulani Khumalo supports the party and has encouraged his followers to vote for ARU candidates in local elections. Then there’s the Organic Humanity Movement, founded by Lauren Evanthia Barnardo. It positions itself as a reformist movement seeking to restructure the political system and advocates abolishing political parties entirely, allowing only independent individuals to stand for election. The movement emphasises personal freedom, including strong support for gun ownership. Ilizwe Nathi is run by Thabile Sibeko and became prominent during the anti-immigrant protests earlier this year. The party campaigns under the banner of Isiviko Selizwe, advocating for a “people-centred government” that serves the poor, middle class and wealthy equally. Ilizwe Nathi, Bolsheviks Party and Gap Fixers of SA The Bolsheviks Party of SA is led by Fanie Mogotji. BPSA is a “socialist organisation” dedicated to mobilising the working class for a fair, equal and socialist society. In the 2016 municipal elections, it won three seats in the Elias Motsoaledi local municipality. Gap Fixers of SA (GFSA) launched in 2024 ahead of the general election. It was established primarily in KZN by figures critical of the economic and political landscape. Themba Viros Buthelezi is the founder and president of the party while KZN businessman Sbu Mpisane is the national chair. GFSA advocates for removing the government tender system and putting in a system that will provide a more stable, direct chance at employment. According to the party, the 1993-1994 Codesa negotiations and the resulting framework preserved white economic dominance. Imstaying was founded in 2019 by Cape Town entrepreneur Jarette Petzer after a viral Facebook response to political doom, gloom and high emigration rates. Imstaying founded in 2019 The initial goal was to encourage all South Africans from different backgrounds to share positive stories, cross-cultural connections and reasons for being in the country. The group had over 400 000 members within two weeks and expanded to over 1.2 million members. As of July 2026, the movement officially launched its political party led by president Shireen Ebrahim, SA’s first Indian female-led political party. The party’s campaign emphasises that lasting systematic change requires effective governance from within. The African Unemployed Congress is a small political party led by Siyabulela Mateza and was launched as a response to escalating socioeconomic challenges. The party focuses on mass unemployment, exclusion of job seekers and poor service delivery in marginalised municipalities. Umphakathi Warona’s focus is fighting for long-delayed RDP subsidised housing allocations and services. It’s led by Thabo Moloi and Kim Baloyi.