Build One South Africa (BOSA) Western Cape premier candidate Lumka Mquqo wants to make sure that people’s lives are valued and citizens receive the dignity they deserve.
Speaking to “Cape Times”, outlining her and BOSA’s plan for the province, Mquqo said politics is too important to be left to politicians who have been doing it all along.
“All of us must come out of our corners. Leaders who are trailblazers in different areas must come together to fix South Africa,” she said.
“Enough is enough. Politicians are not supposed to be corrupt. We have democracy to uphold. There is integrity that comes when you are in government.”
Mquqo, 35, was among the first group of 24 candidates BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane named as standing for elections to Parliament and provincial legislatures last August.
Langa-born Mquqo cut her political teeth in student politics while studying at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) as a staunch South African Student Congress member.
After graduating from UWC, Mquqo went through the DA young leaders programme and later became an executive assistant to former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko.
“I truly believe there are people that should be able to stand up for other people in society, leaders who rise and speak for these people,” said Mquqo.
The mother of three, who holds a BCom degree from UWC, post-graduate diploma in management practice from UCT and several project management courses, has worked as a project and change manager in various fields within the corporate sector.
“I believe in myself as a leader who continues to learn,” said Mquqo, who is heavily involved in community and NPO-related work.
Her involvement in BOSA dates back to the days of the One South Africa Movement during the Covid-19 pandemic period when it was involved in a food programme to assist the poor in the Western Cape.
“I got to know them through reading about their programmes and then reached out to Mmusi,” she said.
BOSA impressed her because it advocates for equality, dignity and community, she explained.
“It speaks to the core of ubuntu, recognises people and their dignity.
“I always speak and stand by those values, so I immediately aligned myself with BOSA.”
According to Mquqo, BOSA wants to put a job in every home, once elected to power.
“We understand that we need to decrease poverty, and we see in our province that we have 40% of households that have no single person working.
“If we can put a job in every household in the next five years, we would be overcoming the issues of jobs and poverty,” she said, adding that for jobs to be created, the economy would have to grow too.
“There is so much underlying the issue of a growing economy. Despite the South African economy being the largest in Africa, this period of growth is stagnant.”
Mquqo also said her party would ensure that basic education meets adequate international standards in numeracy and literacy, and her party would provide the delivery of basic services, which “speaks to the dignity of our people, the value and the lives of people in the Western Cape”.
“We want to make sure that we value people’s lives, we give them the dignity they deserve.
“Basic services and health speak to who you are as a person.”
Mquqo stated BOSA wants the people of the Western Cape to experience the same level of basic services in affluent Constantia or the townships in Khayelitsha or Gugulethu, instead of a situation where a certain level of services are provided in some areas and not in others.
She noted that in the last 15 years, under the DA government in the Western Cape, there had been an increase in informal settlements.
“You can imagine the conditions those people live under. We want to get rid of the mindset that some people can live under those circumstances. Nobody is supposed to live under those conditions,” she said.
“We need to change. That is not living in a democratic South Africa.”
BOSA wants to ensure that every person’s life is valued in every corner of the Western Cape, with equal opportunities for all.
“That will make sure they live dignified and nurture communities.”
Mquqo said there was a need to work together with NGOs, faith-based organisations and NPOs that have the heart for communities.
“We need to resource those people and as a BOSA-led government we will support NPOs, the private sector and faith-based organisations to continue with their good work. We will prioritise the marginalised, nourish the poor and go into the informal settlements,” she said.
On safety and fighting crime, BOSA wants the police function devolved and to also expand capacity at station level by recruiting 120 000 officers in the next five years for effective response and crime prevention.
“Neighbourhood watches take charge, but they don’t get resources from the government,” Mquqo said, before highlighting the unequal treatment
of neighbourhood watches in affluent areas and those in the townships.
“There is a need for collaboration between the police and communities. It needs to be ongoing,” she added.
Among the top priorities Mquqo would implement if elected premier is to make sure that “we have got a working and functional legislature”.
Mquqo said she would nip corruption in the bud should she be elected.
“We will grow the economy, make townships thrive and make sure that we create sustainable social entrepreneurship.”
This will be through establishing township economic zones and implementing start-ups to be able to generate jobs.
“This will not be just slogans but look at existing credible ideas that need funding, resources and money for marketing. We will aim for more investments and make sure they generate for the betterment of the Western Cape,” she said.
Cape Times