Duduzane to effect change in ward 11
NEWLANDS East and surrounding areas is where Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, is expected to launch his bid for the presidency.
Duduzane embarked on a campaign in ward 11 at the weekend, when he met ANC branch members and residents. ward 11 comprises Newlands East, a section of Newlands West, Siyanda and Quarry Heights, near KwaMashu.
Zuma junior, who is new to active politics, plans to run for ANC branch chairperson in the ward.
The election for this position is to take place at the party’s branch general meeting (BGM). It is believed he will use the position to challenge President Cyril Ramaphosa for the ANC presidency next year.
During the campaign, Zuma spoke of his plans to oversee ward 11, which is run by Joyce Johnson, an ANC ward councillor. He also handed out food parcels to poverty-stricken families and child-headed households.
Zuma spoke about the impoverished conditions people lived in and said it was part of the reason he wanted to work in the area.
“We did some door-to-door visits today and we saw poverty is alive. Poverty has not left us. Everyone here has been affected by poverty in one way or another,” said Zuma at the weekend.
Zuma told the POST this week that during his visit to informal settlements, he found many people were undocumented.
“Many of the elderly and children living there are not on the system.”
He said the second issue was the high rate of unemployment and that the lockdown was not helping.
Zuma said the lockdown was more detrimental to society than its ability to yield positive results in the long run.
He said people were dying from hunger.
“It (the lockdown) is affecting the poor, those who earn daily wages. If they don’t work, they don’t eat. My view is that the lockdown is not a solution to the problem. We need to be promoting more people to work and to reintegrate them into society.“
He said a faster vaccine roll-out was the only probable solution.
While Zuma does not live in the area, it was the home of his wife, Shanice Stork, and his in-laws.
He said ward 11 was the start of the change he planned to bring about in the country.
“If we look at the country as a whole, much has been said but little has been done. I don’t want to be part of those who sit back and do nothing.”
Zuma said the ultimate goal was to contest the presidency of the ANC and that the dire conditions people were living in was one of the reasons he wanted to enter politics.
He did not say when he planned to contest the presidency.
Zuma said ward 11 was a reflection of the level of poverty in the country.
“People are living in crazy conditions. People need access to electricity, ablution facilities, housing and safety.”
When asked why he chose ward 11 to start his political career, despite not living in the area, Zuma responded: “Why not?”
He said: “Why is it that I have to be from the area to make a difference? It should not matter.
“My message to the general population and not just ward 11 is that, change is here. Change is coming and we are here to make that change.”
Johnson, who was part of the campaign, said she supported his bid for branch chairman.
“I do support him as well as many others. It is not because he is part of the former president’s family but because he has youth on his side. Young people will follow him.”
She said Zuma would seek to invest in the youth and that he planned to introduce programmes to benefit the young people of the community.
Johnson said residents responded well to him.
“They listened to what he was saying. He gave a powerful speech on addressing the problems people are facing such as unemployment and poverty. He also looked at empowering women. He wants change and wants to make a difference.”
She said although Zuma did not live in the area, Newlands East was like a home to him.
“He grew up here. He has friends here and married here. He knows the people and is familiar with the area.”
Johnson confirmed that nominees would be presented at the next BGM and that the next chairperson would be elected by the branch committee.
“We planned to meet in the next week or two but now, with the mandatory 14-day ban on gatherings, we will have to wait.”
She said as the chairperson of the branch executive committee, Zuma, should he be elected, would be expected to work closely with the councillor to ensure that service delivery took place.
“The chair will serve as a support structure and oversee the ward councillor.”
Joanne Ryan, a Newlands East community activist, said: “I believe he has the ability to make a difference. He has a strong influence on the young. Maybe he sees the suffering of the people and wants to really help.”
She said at present, the area lacked proper service delivery.
“We have a struggle with basic things like grass cutting and speed humps. I am the public relations officer for our soccer club, Newlands United, and our sports field is in a sorry state.
“The grass is not cut, we don't have spectator stands and the fence is broken. Whenever we try to get help, we are told there is no budget. Hopefully, with his help, things will change.”
Graeme Clarivette, the DA branch chairperson for ward 11, said Zuma’s campaign was not what it seemed.
“The run is merely a ploy to enter the political scene and it has nothing to do with the challenges in the ward.”
Clarivette said Zuma did not live in the ward and having family in the area did not qualify him to understand its challenges.
“Ward 11 has its own culture and challenges, which is better understood by the people living here.”
He said one such challenge included the lack of response from the police.
“We have a problem with safety and security. Crime has picked up and often, when we call the police, we are told there aren’t enough vehicles.
“In order to keep our community secure, we have created our own neighbourhood watch groups. So when an incident of crime occurs, residents respond to assist.”