Eastern Cape will have a Rise Mzansi premier after 2029 poll — Zibi
New kid on the political block Rise Mzansi president Songezo Zibi is keeping his eye on the prize.
Speaking in Zwelitsha on Thursday, Zibi said he was confident that the Eastern Cape would have a premier drawn from the ranks of Rise Mzansi after the 2029 general election.
“We need new leaders, as they are not connected in the corruption network,” Zibi said.
“We can have young people with fresher ideas, as they are more innovative where they will be able to use government funds efficiently and then also involve citizens by being transparent in how the funds are used.”
Zibi, who grew up in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM), said the party would fight to secure a solid foundation in the province on May 29, and would seek to make major inroads in the 2026 local government elections.
“After the 2029 national elections, we are going to have a Rise Mzansi premier in the Eastern Cape,” he said.
Outlining some of the new party’s policies, Zibi said: “One of the most popular ideas, especially in our manifesto, is about digitising government for many reasons.
“We want to make the system more efficient and to eliminate corruption and nepotism, as people are complaining that when they submit job applications, they get illegally handled.”
Rise Mzansi wants community centres to be set up across the country to roll out services directly to jobseekers and others.
“We want to bring the services to the people where they live, so that they can save money and time.
“We can train one person to be able to operate different services at the same time, which means services can be easily accessible.”
He said mobile solutions needed to be found to bridge the health infrastructure crisis in the province.
“Transportation costs in SA are so high, yet elderly people or people with physical disabilities have to travel long distances to get their medication — [this] should end.
“We can train people who will be able to deliver the medication, using scooters which are more appropriate, especially in the rural areas.
“There are many opportunities we have in mind that can improve services in the province that are not being taken seriously.”
Zibi told the Dispatch he was struck by how poorly maintained BCM had become.
“Being a person who grew up here, there are several challenges that people of BCM are complaining about, such as lack of basic service delivery.
“The water and road infrastructure is not visibly working; there is not consistency in maintaining what the taxpayers paid for.”
He said BCM was a prime tourism and farming region, with several tertiary institutions and a harbour, and the metro should not be in a poor state.
During his visit, Zibi listened to the complaints of people form Zwelitsha and Mdantsane.
Zwelitsha resident Fundiswa Ndlela was hopeful that, if elected, Rise Mzansi would deliver the basic services needed by people.
“The current government had three decades to prove themselves, but have failed dismally,” she said.
“People are living in high levels of unemployment and inequality. The leaders of Rise Mzansi come across as change makers and community builders.
“I believe this movement will fight for a cause to bring a safe, prosperous and equal SA in a single generation.”
She said Zwelitsha residents were often plagued by water supply issues.
“The municipality always tells us there is a budget allocated to fix the issue, whereas they spend the fund in their own personal capacity,” Ndlela said.
Bhisho resident Sandile Mjamba, 30, said many young people in the province were involved in criminal activities due to the high unemployment rate and expressed the hope that Rise Mzansi would be able to change this situation.
“As a young person, I hope Rise Mzansi will change the challenge of youth unemployment, as the province is labelled as one of the leading provinces in the country with a high unemployment rate.”