ANC floats merger of Gauteng metros into a single “megatropolis”
The African National Congress is weighing a sweeping redraw of South Africa’s municipal map, including a possible merger of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhul...
The African National Congress is weighing a sweeping redraw of South Africa’s municipal map, including a possible merger of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni into one Gauteng “megatropolis.” The party says the idea will be part of a wider review of municipal boundaries and structures after this year’s local government elections.
ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane said some existing municipalities may no longer be viable and need to be reconsidered. The discussion, she said in an interview with the Sunday Times, is expected to feature prominently at the party’s national policy conference soon after the polls.
From city region to one political entity
The notion of a Gauteng “city region” is not new. What Mokonyane floated, though, goes further. Instead of simply linking the province’s three metros through stronger economic corridors, the proposal could collapse them into a single political unit.
“There are metros that we must reflect on and [ask], ‘Were we right to define this place as a metro? Does it have those characteristics, or can we do something to make it a true metro?’” she said.
She then pointed to Gauteng as a place where the party may need to think much bigger. The province houses South Africa’s largest urban and economic hub, with Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni already closely tied by transport links, commuting patterns and business flows. A merger would aim to formalise that reality. It would also be politically sensitive.
Election campaign hangs over the debate
The ANC is preparing for local government elections under pressure to sharpen its pitch to voters. On Sunday, party president Cyril Ramaphosa is set to unveil the 2026 election manifesto in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, under the theme “Masakhe”, loosely translated as “Let us Build.”
The manifesto has already signalled a push to widen access to free basic municipal services for millions of social grant recipients. The party also raised eyebrows this weekend by dropping a plan to announce its mayoral candidates, apparently because of fears of infighting during what it sees as a difficult campaign.
That matters for Gauteng, where coalition politics have shaped city government. The EFF warned in January that it could walk away from its partnership with the ANC in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni unless the two sides reached agreement on mayoral appointments. Those strains sit in the background of any talk about merging metros or rethinking local government altogether.
For now, Mokonyane says the big review comes later. After the elections, the party wants to reopen the map — and decide whether Gauteng should stay a cluster of metros or become something far more centralised.