Four ANC hopefuls in the race to be named the party's official candidate for Ward 10 councillor in the local elections got a grilling on Friday night from the residents they are vying to represent.
Four ANC hopefuls in the race to be named the party's official candidate for Ward 10 councillor in the local elections got a grilling on Friday night from the residents they are vying to represent.
More than 200 Ward 10 residents, plus the ANC's own eight-member screening committee, gathered at Tantyi Hall on Friday night to put Nosipho Vaaltein, Vuyani Kolisi, Andile Qangule and Thuleka Ngeleza to the test, and help determine which of their faces will appear on the ballot paper in the coming local elections.
“Today, the candidates must tell you what they are going to do if they become councillors, and you will be afforded the opportunity to ask them questions, criticise them, or comment about them,” explained ANC regional executive committee member, Mthuthuzeli Matyumza.
And ask they did – on the hot topics of service-delivery, job creation, safety, and corruption.
First up was Nosipho Vaaltein who spoke about the work she had done for the residents of Ward 10. She promised to keep her constituency informed. “We always see residents protesting, because they do not have the information about certain issues,” said Vaaltein.
She said she would work with a ward committee and community development workers, because they knew where the problems were. The second candidate was Vuyani Kolisi, who told residents he would ensure the municipality was democratic and accountable to the people. He said the health and safety of the residents was crucial, as far as he was concerned.
On the issue of unemployment, rife in that ward, he said the ward would develop its own employment policy that would include guidelines for municipal projects.
It turned out the third candidate, Andile Qangule, didn't need to say much – instead, the residents praised the work he had done for the community.
One resident said, “I thought you were the one who was the councillor, because of the things that you are doing for the people, including myself.”
Another said, “I am staying in my RDP house because of you.” But he had only been doing his job, Qangule said. ”As leaders, we should go out of our way to provide for the people," Qangule said. "I have helped people get their social grants and RDP houses, provided employment opportunities, and took some learners to school. I also provided for bereaved families, who had no means of burying their loved ones.”
The last candidate was Thuleka Ngeleza who promised to always be visible to the people. “There will be quarterly meetings, where residents will have a chance to tell me their needs. I'm not going to lead you – you must tell me what your needs are,” said Ngeleza.
After all the interviews, Mathyumza told the residents that the screening committee would select two names of the four and forward them to the regional deployment committee. “The ANC will come back to you again and present your (candidate for) ward councillor,” said Mathyumza.
The ANC branch in Ward 10, which now incorporates areas formerly in Ward 12, is known as the Rodgers Vaaltein branch.
