New Cogta MEC has proven track record
Williams plans to turn around region’s ailing municipalities
Being recruited into karate classes at the age of 12 proved a turning point in the political activism of newly deployed cooperative governance MEC Zolile Williams, a first-time member of the Bhisho legislature and one of three new faces in premier Oscar Mabuyane’s revamped provincial cabinet.
Born into a working-class family headed by a single mom in Lady Grey’s Khwezi Naledi township 49 years ago, Williams is the last-born of five children.
He never suspected that joining those karate classes in the 80s would later shape his political activism, which culminated in him being elected ANC provincial treasurer at the party’s recent elective conference at the East London ICC.
To Williams ’— and his peers ’— surprise, the karate classes turned out to be a front for clandestine political classes in his community aimed at grooming and recruiting young minds into the structures of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
Williams was the only new face to be elected to the retained ANC provincial top five in May, replacing Babalo Madikizela, whom he also replaced in the legislature, after the latter resigned from active politics to pursue business interests.
Williams completed his primary education at Lady Grey and that is where he participated in the mass democratic movement at an early age.
His activism occurred spontaneously and was driven by the political uprisings of the 1980s.
He cut his political teeth at a young age under the tutelage of the late Tshidiso Nkhaphe and Moeketsi “Mentho” Lebelo, who were UDF activists.
“In 1986, after I was recruited into what I thought were karate classes but which proved to double as political education classes, I found that each training session would soon be replaced by formal sessions covering political topics like free education, the Release Mandela Campaign, and the pillars of the liberation struggle, as well as questions like why black people were living in conditions of squalor and renting in back rooms.
“These underground classes led to Nkhaphe’s arrest for 18 months, and while he was in prison Mentho took over and was particularly fond of explaining the causes of social inequalities, poverty and the suffering of black people.
“He explained it in simple terms in a captivating style.
“Mentho’s emphasis was on black consciousness and how, as learners, we must not allow anyone to undermine our being, based on the colour of our skin.
“This is how my political consciousness was sparked,” he told the Dispatch during an exclusive interview at his Bhisho office this week.
Williams said the political consciousness he gained at school age permeated his township, and he found himself among of the young pioneers who founded the Lady Grey Youth Congress in 1989.
He and the rest of the youth brigade were deeply disturbed by the squalor their families endured in their homes.
His elder brother and teacher friends also played a critical role in shaping his political direction.
He matriculated at Aliwal North (now Maletswai) with a bachelor pass, but there was no money for enrolling at a university.
Williams had applied and been accepted at both the University of Fort Hare and UCT to study law.
However, his older sister, who was the only breadwinner at home at the time, urged him instead to enrol at the Cape College of Education for a teacher’s diploma, which she could afford.
His sister advised him to “take one step at a time and build from there”.
He completed the secondary teacher’s diploma in record time in 1996, and while at the Cape College, where he continued with his activism, his leadership qualities shone.
“The political consciousness which was implanted in my mind by Tshidiso Nkhaphe germinated, and within a short space of time I was deployed by Sasco as their SRC president in 1995.
“At the end of my term in 1996, I was regarded by the college community as the best SRC president in the history of Cape College,” he recalled.
Williams started teaching at Egqili Senior Secondary School in Aliwal North, and at the same time he was elected to the branch executive committee of Sadtu, where he served as education convener and later as branch secretary.
“During the same period, I was elected to the ANC Aliwal North region and served in various capacities from 19972013, first as the deputy regional secretary for the then Aliwal North region, regional secretary for the then Ukhahlamba region, and chair of the Joe Gqabi region.
“During this period, I also served in the ANC provincial executive committee of comrades Makhenkesi Stofile, Stone Sizani and Phumulo Masualle.”
He furthered his studies while teaching and obtained a further diploma in education, followed by a bachelor of education honours, both from the University of Free State.
In 2002, Williams joined Senqu municipality as the director of corporate services.
Armed with a master’s degree in governance and political transformation obtained in 2006, he joined the Joe Gqabi district municipality as its administration boss in January 2007, and proved to be a solid administrator.
“I took over a technically bankrupt municipality which, within a short space of time, I turned around and transformed into a well-oiled municipality.
“Before I took over, the municipality was plagued by successive disclaimers of opinions from the office of the auditorgeneral.
“After stabilising the situation, I began to lift the administrative capacity of the municipality to higher levels.
“This has been evidenced by the fact that for the past eight years the municipality has maintained unqualified reports, with four clean audits.
“This should demonstrate my administrative acumen, and my ability to work well with people and get the best out of their talents,” he said.
Williams said appointing competent administrators, creating a “high-level culture” of professionalism and accountability, and strengthening municipal audit units were some of the measures he took that turned the fortunes of the district around.
And this is exactly what he has in mind for all provincial municipalities in his new responsibility as Cogta MEC.
If he can replicate this performance on a provincial scale, the Eastern Cape’s local authorities stand a good chance of improving their abysmal audit outcomes.
Other than improving municipal service delivery and audits, Williams aims to forge close working ties with provincial traditional leaders.
In his political career he has been inspired by many people, but the late ANC leader Oliver Tambo holds a special place in his heart.
I took over a technically bankrupt municipality which, within a short space of time, I turned around and transformed into a well-oiled municipality