Former Joburg mayor Mpho Moerane is believed to be fighting for his life in a Johannesburg hospital.
Sources close to Moerane said he was involved in a car accident.
It was not clear how badly he was injured in the accident.
During his acceptance speech after he was elected mayor, Moerane shed tears after the city had seen the deaths of two mayors from the ANC within a short space of time.
The accident has been kept secret to avoid public scrutiny into the deaths of ANC mayors.
Moerane's accident also comes as the ANC in Johannesburg prepares to host its regional conference.
The outcome of the conference will play a key role in what happens at the provincial leg of the ANC conference and eventually at the National Elective Conference at the end of the year.
The Star understands Moerane was mooted to be the next leader of the ANC in the region, and was supposedly in competition with the secretary general of the party, Dada Morero.
The Star tried confirming with the ANC in the region which hospital Moerane was in and details of the accident.
Last year Jolidee Matongo, an ANC mayor, lost his life in a car accident a few weeks before mayor Geoff Makhubo had lost his life to Covid 19 complications.
This is a developing story.
The Star