The 10400 ward councillors have not been elected and the final results of the local elections are in. The councillors and councils will now have to go into communities and start delivering on their promises. The Daily Vox team caught up with the political parties who will have councillors represented in the different wards at the national results centre.
The results are finally in #LGE2021
Inkatha Freedom Party – Mkhuleko Hlengwa
The issues are fundamentally different and that’s the essence of local government. We fundamentally believe that the 10-point plan we presented when we launched our manifesto is definitely going to provide the necessary framework of development that we want. The issues of water are large in the different parts of northern KwaZulu Natal and this will be an apex priority to ensure access. We have already started with a water programme and we will need to accelerate this. There is also the need to create a conducive environment for development of infrastructure to attract investment and grow the economy. Hospitality in the northern part of KwaZulu Natal is a key economic driver so we need to build up those capabilities again – particularly as we push back against the frontiers of COVID-19.
Al Jama-ah – Shameemah Salie
We’ve won the wards in Lenasia and Harding. In Lenasia, we have a track record of service delivery so we’ve proven ourselves. That’s what we need to see in more communities and municipalities. In Harding, it was an area where there was no water. We were able to assist them through the councillor in the area and we got them boreholes. It’s important to ensure that people not only have access to water but rights to water. We need to go back to the basics and look at how we are actually serving our communities. It’s concerning that the same individuals are being voted in even though they didn’t deliver. I would tell all political parties if you need to serve and not be served.
African Transformation Movement – Thandazile Mandisa Jojo
We are very thankful for the votes we’ve received. In most areas, especially the rural areas in the Eastern Cape, we have already shown them what we can do by doing those things. We’ve provided services like water and building houses with our own money. We can do so much more when we have access to the resources from the municipality. Our party is sticking to our promises to say that where we have councillors, they will be accountable to the people. We will lobby for services for the people. If we get one or two seats, chances of deciding what is going to happen is very slim. But we will be very vocal and make sure we don’t just sit down and get salaries. We will make sure the voices of the people are heard. They can trust us.
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Action SA – John Moodey
What the people can expect from us once the negotiations are over, is that we will represent them in every council we are represented in. We will put their interests first. For us, it is about how we go about changing the lives of our people in a very tangible way. It begins with service delivery on the ground. We will definitely hold those in council and in governance to account. If we go into opposition, we will ensure that we are the most effective opposition. We will ensure those in power deliver services of the highest standards to our people.
GOOD – Sam Shabane
The manifesto we released speaks to the basic things we are hoping to provide for communities. Those are simple things that we think other parties have missed. We as a party will ensure we fight for those things for those communities. GOOD will also make sure we provide the basic services communities need. Running sewage in communities is unacceptable. We need to ensure people are protected and they are safe from these dangers. Our communities have been neglected for far too long and it is now our time. We will ensure the communities have services and not just those who voted for us but all the communities we live in.
READ MORE: Scorecard for #LGE2021party manifestos
Patriotic Alliance – Gayton Mckenzie
They can expect all the things they were expecting from other parties that weren’t fulfilled like jobs, running water, electricity and opportunities in life. Those are the things they are going to get. They have been waiting for 27 years for those things and they got none of that.
READ MORE: Unpacking the so-called “Coloured” vote and why it’s not just a Cape Town “ding”
United Democratic Front – Bongani Msomi
In short words, the UDM stands for good and clean governance. UDM has been very vocal – ever since its inception. We’ve promoted clean governance and we opposed corruption. Where we are going to be in governance, people can be rest assured that their voices will be heard and the rates they pay will be used for what they expect. People are crying very loudly about poor service delivery yet they are paying the rates. Those people deserve better and we will be their voice. Our councillors are going to be the true servants of the communities.
Vryheidsfront Plus – Wouter Wessels
We say that there are simple solutions to the problems facing local government. Our manifesto speaks to providing those solutions and to stop the decay and the decline of infrastructure. One of the solutions is to spend on what it is the purpose for. The money received from the national treasury must be spent on infrastructure maintenance. Salaries must be cut and luxuries must be cut. Where we have an influence in coalition governments and where we won wards, we will instill those values and policies. In doing so, we will better service delivery.
Congress of the People – Dr Morongoa Makwarela
The people are looking for basic services like water. In Hammanskraal, people don’t have clean, portable water. If we are in government, whether in coalition or otherwise, we will ensure we expedite access to portable water for the people. There is also housing – we need to make sure we expedite the building of housing. That was hampered by COVID-19 and the lockdown. We will ensure there is a ramping up of the provision of housing. What is also important is the formalisation of the informal settlements. This is the capital city – we can’t have people drinking water from water tankers. We need to bring clean water to our communities out there.
