Mashaba to run for mayor
Former Joburg mayor and founder of The People’s Dialogue, Herman Mashaba, will launch a new political party in August to contest next year’s local elections, he announced at a virtual media briefing on Tuesday.
“Despite this uncertainty which promises to remain a feature of the months to come, I can say without any doubt that we will launch this political party to contest the 2021 local government elections next year.”
The party will contest the elections in the three Gauteng metros: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, he said.
The ANC lost its full control of the three metros during the 2016 elections, receiving less than 50% of the votes, which led to coalition governments.
Mashaba said he would identify other municipalities to contest during the 2021 elections, adding: “On a serious note, we will not be contesting all municipalities in South Africa. This is the mistake that many new political parties make.
“They have contested all 278 municipalities as new parties with only months to prepare for elections, with the unambitious outcome of gaining a councillor here and there. This is why they have failed.
“Our political party will identify municipalities that are strategic in nature and where we will win,” he said.
With plans in place to contest the local elections in the country’s economic hubs, he said the party would only contest elections in all nine provinces in the 2024 general elections.
“Our focus will be on the almost 19 million South Africans of voting age who did not vote in 2019, outnumbering those who did vote.
“These South Africans are not apathetic.
“They live in the same country as the rest of us that is in deep need of change and they care about their country.
“They have just not been given a reason to vote, some for a very long time.
“In our online meetings with people across South Africa, it is already clear that many people joining us have given up on voting for the political parties in South Africa.
“Our new political party is going to offer these people a political home,” he said.
Elections for candidates to represent the party in the three metros would take place before the local elections, he said, adding he was available for the position of Johannesburg’s mayoral candidate.
The former DA mayor resigned from the party at the height of bruising factional battles.
In his resignation speech, he was unequivocal about his disenchantment, saying some in the party were more concerned about “cutting grass” in Johannesburg’s suburbs than the plight of the poor.
– News24 Wire