DURBAN - The independents of eThekwini Amakhansela Omphakathi aseThekwini (KZN) community councillors had their manifesto launch in Durban on Monday.
The 30 independent candidates are representing individual communities in the eThekwini region to contest various wards in the local government elections on November 1. Community councillors are non-political.
Co-ordinator Mthetheleli Sibisi said the number of independents contesting the elections had risen. He said eThekwini alone had registered more than 50 independent candidates, and nationwide numbers had increased. He said there were more than 900 in 2016, and more than 1 700 in 2021.
“We might differ ideologically but we remain part of our communities, who only want to see progress in their residential areas. For this reason we call all communities to put politics aside. They should concentrate on the well-being of their families and understand that if you sweep your road and your neighbours sweep theirs, the whole street will be clean.
“We are uniting the communities as a cell. For the development of the community we need to have a common cause. Community councillors intend covering all social aspects that put people at the centre of development, and improve quality of life by making sure that the municipal mandate to deliver basic services is done.”
Sibisi said that during the recent unrest in KZN and Gauteng the government had been exposed in issues of cultural discontent, whereby some thuggery became racialised.
“The municipality through PRC (Parks Recreation & Culture) needs to promote culture tolerance. This must be included in our museums, libraries, and sports events. We need to preserve our culture as South Africans, and at the same time be able to draw good cultural practice from other cultural groupings, which will create peace in our communities.”
Sibisi said a major problem in some cities was pollution and failure to take care of the environment.
Convenor Thami Ndlovu, contesting in ward 75, Lamontville, south of Durban, said the community had chosen their own leaders to represent them, and not those forced upon them who they had no connection with and who did not live in the area. He said frustration had been mounting for 15 years over poor service delivery.
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