Pretoria - The ANC NEC rejected candidates from Tshwane during the finalisation of its mayoral candidates on Saturday, party Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told journalists.
"There are two names that have been taken back to Tshwane. We pulled out the third one. We said no we can't take this thing. Branches will be engaged and the Regional Executive Committee (REC) will be engaged so that everybody must support the name that is out forward, " he said.
Mantashe said the Tshwane region submitted its list of three candidates to the province but the provincial executive committee was dissatisfied with the choices.
The ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) proposed that its delegation meet the REC after which a name would be announced, he said. Mantashe said the delegation would be heading to Tshwane on Sunday for deliberation.
Mantashe announced party mayoral candidates on Saturday after the NEC held back-to-back meetings to finalise its candidates list.
He said the NEC differed with some names but did not "differ for the sake of differing."
"The process is quite involved and detailed therefore many of the cases became the benefit of the doubt for our structures," he said.
Mantashe said they would engage structures in Tshwane to deal with protests over candidates list.
"You also have to make sure of the difference between genuine problems and where I wanted to be a councillor and I mobilise a community to support me. We are looking at all these cases ," he said.
Mantashe said they need to educate members to appreciate that council is about serving and not personal income.
"People must learn that there is always a tomorrow in the ANC. If you are not elected there is always a tomorrow. People make it life and death and in most cases it's about security of income," he said.
"We want to educate out members to appreciate that it cannot be about income it should be about preparedness to serve."