Political parties based in Makana may face tough competition in the upcoming local government elections as a new opposition grouping, the Makana Independent New Deal (Mind), recently solidified its intention to contest.
Political parties based in Makana may face tough competition in the upcoming local government elections as a new opposition grouping, the Makana Independent New Deal (Mind), recently solidified its intention to contest.
Mind held its candidate selection meeting on Saturday at the Public Library Hall in Hill Street. Speaking after the meeting, its interim chairperson, Jock McConnachie, said: "At this stage, it's all systems go."
In January, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) accepted registration of the new party. According to McConnachie, Mind hopes to contest the municipal elections as a grouping of independents, though each candidate will retain his or her independence. This means that while independent candidates will campaign under the banner of Mind, campaign funds will have to come out of their own pockets.
"There is not going to be a lot of money being thrown at candidates," said McConnachie, addressing about 20 people at the meeting on Saturday. For the 14 Makana wards being contested in the local elections, nine candidates presented themselves at Saturday's meeting.
Andrew Hutchinson, of Hutch Properties, and a possible candidate for Ward 13 (which includes Salem, Manley Flats, and Vukani Township) spoke of a lack of service-delivery for the people residing in the ward. This sentiment was echoed by Sigidla Ndumo, a Ward 8 candidate hopeful, who said residents there were also fed up with a lack of service delivery.
The establishment of the new party was born out of the failure of the party-based system, McConnachie said. Among the changes the new party wishes to introduce are:
* The scrapping of the executive mayor system and having all decisions made in open Council;
* For councillors to have equal status on Council and not be subject to caucus decisions – are a feature of the party based system. In a media statement before the meeting, McConnachie said, "These elections are a critical opportunity to get our local government working properly again and it won’t happen without changing the way things are done. That is what Mind is all about."
The local elections are to be held on 18 May this year.
