The Congress of the People (COPE) has introduced its mayoral candidates for the three Gauteng metro municipalities.
COPE President Mosioua Lekota announced the mayoral candidates during a media briefing in Kempton Park on the East Rand.
He has implored them to be trustworthy, reliable citizens and ready to work for and with the people.
Dr Morongoa Makwarela has been announced as COPE’s mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane. Makwarela says the City of Tshwane under the ANC, EFF and DA coalition has failed dismally to broaden access to improved, predictable, and reliable basic services over the years.
He says the City of Tshwane has been left bankrupt due to mismanagement and corruption. Makwarela says his vast experience as an executive serving in both the private and public sector places him in a position to best deal with poor governance issues in the capital city.
“Procurement processes continue to be abused and circumvented. Weaknesses in Supply Chain Management processes have a severe impact on services delivery. The performance of contractors or service providers is not monitored on a monthly basis as required by the MFMA. Bids are awarded to providers who are in the service of the state institutions. The City has neither the appetite nor the ability to implement consistent and timely consequence management. Now COPE under my leadership will come in and clean that rot.”
Businesswoman, IT specialist and City of Johannesburg employee, Colleen Makhubele wants to be the mayor of South Africa’s economic hub. She says Johannesburg’s economy, once the pride of South Africa, has collapsed with 40% of young people sitting at home without jobs. She says graduates are forced to beg for jobs on street corners. If elected mayor she intends to change all of that.
“I am currently serving as the chairperson of MTC at the City of Joburg, and I have personally witnessed and seen, the many hard-working men and women who are employed by the City. The City has one of the best minds working there but they are unable to perform. They are unable to perform their fiduciary duty and professional judgment because the political space needs to be cleaned. These men and women and also youth are capable of innovation, they are capable of delivering services but they are hindered by narrow agendas of different political parties. So we as COPE we need to help them.”
Nzipho Khalipha, COPE mayoral candidate for the City of Ekurhuleni, is no stranger to politics having previously served the party as a member of the Gauteng Legislature. He has vowed to ensure improved access to basic services for the people of Ekurhuleni if elected mayor. He also wants to fight corruption and ensure there’s oversight.
Lekota had this message for the mayoral candidates.
“If you are elected by the people and you are paid for the work that you are supposed to do for the people, you work with the people’s money. Please, if you do not understand that, don’t stand for the elections, don’t. You will be given a lot of money and you think it is yours. You are a fool, it is not your money, it is not your money}
South Africans will go to the polls for the 6th democratic municipal election on the 1st of November.
