Young woman is going green with Mashaba
Boitumelo Molefe, 28, says she is voting for ActionSA because its leader, Herman Mashaba, was the first person to give her a promising chance and a future.
Molefe says politicians in South Africa have a long history of promising voters the world, but in terms of following through, they often lack action.
“Ntate Mashaba is not such a man. He gave me a chance when no one else believed in me.
“When I was 25, and having completed my public administration studies at North-West University, I was battling to find work. My lecturers often warned that while it was a good degree to study, the opportunities were limited,” she says.
“They warned that unless you were connected to someone in the ANC, you would never be able to find a job in government.
“Growing up in Mahikeng in North West, this caused me a lot of distress. My family did not have any connections in the ruling party, nor any political affiliations.
“As the last of five kids, I also knew it was time to give my mother a break. She had done her part as a single parent, who did not earn much as a cleaner at the department of social development, to give us the right education with the hopes that we would find our own economic independence.
“I later learnt about Mashaba, who was mayor of Joburg at the time and whose commitment to insourcing – despite political pressure – led to my mother’s brother being insourced as a security guard.
“For the first time, my uncle had access to increased income and benefits because of Mashaba’s commitment to cutting out the middleman,” she adds.
“This is why I decided, as a last resort, to tweet Ntate Mashaba to give me an opportunity. And true to his character, he didn’t simply give me a job but told me if I worked hard, I’d be able to gain access to opportunity.
“I soon moved to Johannesburg where I started interning at his newly formed political party, ActionSA, to grow my skills and gain experience, which helped me gain further opportunities.”
Molefe says Mashaba promises South Africans opportunities to better themselves and to have the freedom to choose what direction they want to take in life.
“Unlike the ruling party’s approach of forcing people to become dependent on a R350 grant with little opportunity for personal growth, Mashaba wants to empower every South African with the skills, funding, education and public infrastructure so they can be successful.
“This is why I am voting for ActionSA this year, because Ntate Mashaba gave me a foot in the door when no-one else wanted to.
“And I believe an ActionSA government will finally give other South Africans a foot in the door as well,” she says.