By SIPHE MACANDA and MKHULULI NDAMASE
IN A bid to lure voters ahead of the much-anticipated local government elections, political parties have fielded well-known public figures as councillor candidates in some municipalities.
The public figures include religious leaders and those who made their mark in sports and other fields.
The ANC in the King Sabata Dalindyebo region has fielded humanitarian, bishop and former Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepho Machaea as a candidate.
Machaea said he was honoured that the ruling party had placed its faith in him.
“As bishops we like to blame from the distance and say we are going to pray for people. As a trusted shepherd you lead from the front.
“I’m a servant and a councillor is the servant of the people. I have a responsibility to represent the poor people,” he said.
The Ibandla Lasemthini Evangelical Movement bishop said he had been approached by OR Tambo ANC regional bosses to avail himself to contest ward 6 in Mthatha, which includes Southernwood, Fort Gale and other parts of town.
In the ward, he will be up against Madyibi Ngxekana of the Mthatha Ratepayers’ Association as well as candidates from the UDM and EFF.
“I don’t see this as a demotion. I’m humbling myself to go back to the basics. Politics are everywhere and they are worse in churches,” said Machaea.
Eastern Cape ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane sang his praises.
“He is a workaholic and someone who is well-respected and recognised by the society. He has earned his societal respect. We need a very rounded cadre of the ANC like him,” he said, adding that Machaea would retain the ward for the ANC.
In the ANC’s Dr WB Rubusana region, the party has opted to field sports administrators as some of its ward councillor candidates.
The party is betting on former Springbok player and current chief scout for the Border region rugby, Thobile Mtya, to be victorious in ward 50, which includes villages from Mooiplaas.
The Democratic Alliance in the region was not to be outdone. The party has fielded soccer administrator Burton Brown as councillor candidate for ward 10, which includes parts of Egoli, Vergenoeg, East Bank, parts of Ghost Town and Fynbos.
Brown is the East London Central Local Football Association general secretary.
East London Sporting club owner and well-known businessman, Graham Lottering, has been fielded by the ANC as ward 19 councillor candidate.
Ward 19 includes parts of Greenfields, West Bank, Buffalo Flats and parts of Ghost Town.
Lottering said working with people in his soccer club and other businesses had inspired him to join politics and be closer to the community.
“I’ve been involved in community work all my life. I built a club from nowhere, so for me this is another platform to reach out to the community.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za/mkhululin@dispatch.co.za
Public figures to stand in SA poll
IN A bid to lure voters ahead of the much-anticipated local government elections, political parties have fielded well-known public figures as councillor candidates in some municipalities.
The public figures include religious leaders and those who made their mark in sports and other fields.
The ANC in the King Sabata Dalindyebo region has fielded humanitarian, bishop and former Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepho Machaea as a candidate.
Machaea said he was honoured that the ruling party had placed its faith in him.
“As bishops we like to blame from the distance and say we are going to pray for people. As a trusted shepherd you lead from the front.
“I’m a servant and a councillor is the servant of the people. I have a responsibility to represent the poor people,” he said.
The Ibandla Lasemthini Evangelical Movement bishop said he had been approached by OR Tambo ANC regional bosses to avail himself to contest ward 6 in Mthatha, which includes Southernwood, Fort Gale and other parts of town.
In the ward, he will be up against Madyibi Ngxekana of the Mthatha Ratepayers’ Association as well as candidates from the UDM and EFF.
“I don’t see this as a demotion. I’m humbling myself to go back to the basics. Politics are everywhere and they are worse in churches,” said Machaea.
Eastern Cape ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane sang his praises.
“He is a workaholic and someone who is well-respected and recognised by the society. He has earned his societal respect. We need a very rounded cadre of the ANC like him,” he said, adding that Machaea would retain the ward for the ANC.
In the ANC’s Dr WB Rubusana region, the party has opted to field sports administrators as some of its ward councillor candidates.
The party is betting on former Springbok player and current chief scout for the Border region rugby, Thobile Mtya, to be victorious in ward 50, which includes villages from Mooiplaas.
The Democratic Alliance in the region was not to be outdone. The party has fielded soccer administrator Burton Brown as councillor candidate for ward 10, which includes parts of Egoli, Vergenoeg, East Bank, parts of Ghost Town and Fynbos.
Brown is the East London Central Local Football Association general secretary.
East London Sporting club owner and well-known businessman, Graham Lottering, has been fielded by the ANC as ward 19 councillor candidate.
Ward 19 includes parts of Greenfields, West Bank, Buffalo Flats and parts of Ghost Town.
Lottering said working with people in his soccer club and other businesses had inspired him to join politics and be closer to the community.
“I’ve been involved in community work all my life. I built a club from nowhere, so for me this is another platform to reach out to the community.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za/mkhululin@dispatch.co.za
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