Candidates promised a better future for Lenasia ahead of the September 11 by-election. [Picture: Nasreen Naidoo / Salaamedia]
Crime. Potholes. Faulty streetlights. Electricity outages. Water interruptions. The all-too-familiar story of general decay. This was, after all, about the day-to-day issues Lenasia residents face in their locality.
Political parties and candidates are once again knocking on the doors of residents in Lenasia, a predominantly Indian community, south of Johannesburg. They were there just four months ago.
But this time, they are not asking voters to place an X next to their names on the national and provincial ballots. Instead, they want people to elect them as the new councillor in ward nine.
Ahead of the 11 September by-election, Salaamedia and Beonchat collaborated to bring candidates to the people. With more than 18 000 registered voters in this ward, it came as no surprise that parties brought a show of force to the town hall debate on Wednesday.
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Promises to the people
Al Jama-ah, the party that scooped the ward in a by-election in November 2020, deployed its big names to the audience. Party leader Ganief Hendricks, former Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, and former ward councillor Imraan Moosa were among those who showed up to support their candidate, Jakes Karolia.
Eager to pronounce victories for his party, he declared house robberies a thing of the past.
“I can proudly say that as far as house robberies, whatever’s happening within the residential area of Lenasia, is zero,” he said, attributing it to the fencing off of the community. Immediately thereafter, though, he blamed an under-resourced police force for crimes like car theft.
While fending off jeers about her colourful political past, Allied Movement For Change’s (AM4C) veiled candidate, Kuraysha Jackson, spoke about developing infrastructure in an environmentally-friendly manner.
“Kuraysha will provide a sustainable infrastructure solution. This will include the advocacy of using durable materials [that are] environmentally friendly.” Why she spoke in third-person, nobody knows.
There is no doubt that the ‘Zulu tribalist’ uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MKP) candidate, Farhaad Mitha, amused a few in the audience. Sporting a white beard, appearing very unlike the stereotypical characteristics of the party, he appeared the most sincere of them all.
Why should voters of Lenasia choose you? he was asked. “GBV,” he responded. “Please, we need to make sure that we bring that crime down to zero, because it’s one of the highest crimes; with stealing of motor vehicles, with breaking in houses … The major crime is GBV, let’s sort it out.”
The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) candidate, Muhammed Yaeesh Cassim, youthful and energetic as he was, struggled to get his message across the floor.
Hecklers might not have noticed the Palestine-inspired bracelet on his wrist, but they chanted ‘Free Palestine’ to drown him out. Anyway, he emphasised that he was the youngest, most qualified candidate in the room before being cut off.
“When the DA says that they put the youth at the front, they put the youth at the front. I have graduated from the DA Young Leaders Programme that has equipped me with the relevant skills.”
The shouts and confrontations lasted several minutes. An unexpected call for calm came from the MK candidate. Still a few more pleas before the programme could continue.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) sent Carl Niehaus to Gandhi Hall to support their candidate.
In a feisty performance Mubarak Mahaboob charged “rich people” in the audience with neglecting the poor. He chastised them for neglecting Islamic values of caring for the needy.
“God gave you everything. You are rich people who are sitting in front of me. You are multimillionaires … The people are poor. I wanted to ask you [to] go to the squatter camp, find one person who’s having R10 000 in his account. Nothing. They are all poor people.”
That could have worked if it was Julius Malema standing before busloads of supporters at FNB Stadium, but this was Lenasia. How that tirade would have helped the EFF’s dwindling fortunes in a relatively conservative area remains to be seen.
The African Transformation Movement’s (ATM) Priya Ranchod left journalism behind to have a go at running the ward. “I’ve been there with the community, I’ve been a journalist, I’ve been on the ground for many years,” she said.
She told potential voters that she would rely on her journalistic skills to be a responsive councillor. “I am committed to being a councillor who listens to the people of Lenasia and acts in their best interest. I will be accessible, transparent [and] accountable,” she said.
Abdul Razak Karolia, candidate for the African National Congress (ANC), boasted that he knew the “ins and outs of this community”. The decay residents have had to live with did not matter, because “the African National Congress has delivered in the 15 years that it served here”.
By the way, has anybody heard about the Amalgamated Rainbow Movement (ARM)? Their candidate, Haroon Amien seemed well-meaning enough but it is unlikely he is winning any ward elections while his arms are locked in an embrace with the obscure ARM.
Nevertheless, he promised a community clinic that will be better equipped to cater for the healthcare needs of its people.
“How many of our people have passed away with a clinic that is not even up to standard? When people go there, there’s no oxygen. How many times your cars get robbed from the clinic? I’m not here to criticise another party; the issue starts with what can we do,” he said.
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Democratic engagement in Lenasia
Some wonky candidates notwithstanding, the lively town hall debate reaffirmed SA’s vibrant democracy. The roads may be broken and the water might run out, but there are people who care enough to engage with candidates.
This was, after all, what Beonchat was hoping to achieve. Mohammed Arai, the company’s managing editor, said this was part of its social responsibility.
“We aimed to empower voters with the information they need to make an informed choice in next week’s polls by helping them get to know the candidates vying for the position of local councillor,
“Last night’s town hall debate was a resounding success, as evidenced by the positive feedback from residents and the appreciation expressed by the candidates. They valued the opportunity to engage with their electorate in such a public forum,” he said.
Once elected, the successful candidate will be the intermediary between communities and their city council. The community’s go-to person who (supposedly) sees to it that water, electricity and roads are delivered.
