Uncertain about which candidates are contesting wards in Brakpan in the upcoming local government election?
Here are the candidates for Ward 97:
Simon Mabuse – ActionSA
I am Simon Mabuse, living in Brakpan, and I have been part of the formation of ActionSA.
I am running for councillor of Ward 97. I am lucky enough to have interacted with my fellow community members who have shared their concerns about our community, such as lack of service delivery and illegal dealings.
These include illegal mining sites (causing potholes), high rates of crime in the area, deforestation, hijacked businesses, stealing of connections, illegal immigrants, dumping sites and sewage blockages.
The above-mentioned things can cause a lot of harm to our health, the environment as well as our community.
Luckily, ActionSA is here to help bring about a much-needed change, and it is here to stay.
We may not be able to resolve all these problems at once (we know Rome wasn’t built in one day), but we can promise you action because we live by seven core values: non-racialism, economic prosperity, social justice, quality education, respect for the rule of law, ethical leadership and electoral reform.
That is why I ask and urge you to vote ActionSA this coming election because we are the future and the future is you!
Annette Betsie Pienaar – ANC
I am Annette Betsie Pienaar and have been living in the community of Brakpan for over 25 years and raised my children and grandchildren here, and as a former gender-based violence (GBV) survivor, I felt the need to make a difference in our community, especially since GBV is an epidemic in this country.
I joined the ANC and the ANC Women’s League and then later became the convenor of the ANCWL in Ward 97 and worked under the organisation to fight against GBV.
I feel there should be more women in power, challenging power dynamics by not just empowering men but women as well.
For the past few years, I have been working as a ward committee member under the councillor, reporting community problems and giving feedback to the community in the sector of the elderly and vulnerable.
If I were chosen to be the new councillor, I would assist the community with housing, running water and electricity and other amenities for communities and individuals in need.
I will also assist in fighting crime, drug trafficking and corruption by working hand in hand with the community of Brakpan and the CPF.
I will do my best to improve service delivery, health centres, education, job creation and the empowerment of women and the youth.
Brandon Pretorius – DA
My name is Brandon Pretorius, and I am the DA Ward 97 candidate in Ekurhuleni.
I have been the DA-elected ward councillor for this ward for the last five years and pride myself on working hard and engaging with the community to get services delivered.
Unfortunately, Ward 97 faces tremendous service delivery challenges, due to the failing ANC and coalition administration.
Street lights are non-functional, constant power outages grip the ward, while blocked sewage has become the norm. This is due to the lack of maintenance and the general collapse of services.
If re-elected, I want to fight to bring back services to Brakpan. The DA gets things done. Residents of the ward do not want anything extraordinary, they just want the basics to be done and get value for services they’re paying for.
Some of the big issues I will be tackling is Plastic City and its surrounds, as well as the Jan Smuts Dam as a long-term issue.
I believe the only way to have these matters permanently resolved is to have a DA government in Ekurhuleni.
Continuing to inform residents, I will be utilising social media platforms to provide residents with weekly feedback sessions.
It is time for change. Your vote could be the difference between an ANC administration or a DA-led administration. Vote DA to get things done!
Ana Nunes – IRASA
My name is Ana and I am a candidate for the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa.
I have lived in Brenthurst for the past 15 years. Five years ago, I created the Brakpan Service Delivery group on Facebook to give our residents a platform on which to voice their problems and service delivery issues and to hold the newly appointed councillors accountable.
We have seen how the Brakpan residents have been deceived by the elected councillors and their empty political promises.
We have spent the past five years doing our best to ensure service delivery issues are resolved, while not having any official mandate to do so.
We have enjoyed great success, as the members of this group can confirm. I want to be empowered to do so much more for our fellow Brakpan residents, as I believe politics belongs in council chambers.
Residents are not just voters. Residents deserve the service delivery they were promised. I will be an independent voice and put the residents first while acting in an official capacity to resolve ongoing issues.
I will timeously communicate the feedback to the community, as an appointed public servant should.
Dikobe Malatsi – Independent candidate
Putting the interests of the Brakpan community first, regardless of race, colour and gender. Community using its votes as the tool to hold leaders accountable and to make its voice heard.
Vote for the voice of the voiceless, people’s servant and the change agent. Ethical, industrious, approachable, transparent and accountable servant.
Practical election envisaged community on-going deliverables/promises. Community united (speaking in one voice) in doing the right thing to rebuild the fast-diminishing Brakpan together. Community working together to bring much-needed changes. Co-exist as the community in our diversity.
Strive to create a sustainable society. Take back your power (people’s power). Stop nepotism and corruption.
Monitoring and evaluation of mushrooming private school curriculums. Equal employment opportunities for all, youth and women in particular.
Accessibility and open-door policy of communication. Social contract and accountability.
Access to recreation facilities to all sporting codes for training purposes. Get Brakpan to attract potential investors.
One million ward grant priorities are to be determined by community members. Promote government and private partnerships. Meaningful public participation.
Add value in improving the living conditions of all community members for the better. Providing shelter for the homeless.
Revitalisation of Brakpan’s economy (people’s economy). Infrastructure maintenance and development.
Establishment of a job seekers’ centre. Ensure all projects in Brakpan become beneficial to all local job seekers and SMMEs.
Establishment of the University of Brakpan. Moral regeneration and social cohesion. Agriculture and food security.
Community joining hands to fight crime such as drugs, prostitution, gender-based violence, rape, murder, house break-ins and human trafficking.
Rudolf Herbst – VF Plus
Rudolf woon vir die afgelope 26 jaar in Ekurhuleni en is vertroud met die probleme in Brakpan, soos die haglike omstandighede waarin die inwoners van die informele nedersetting, Plastic City, langs die stortingsterrein woon.
Inwoners bou skuilings van karton en plastiek en word blootgestel aan erge lugbesoedeling waar hulle sonder basiese dienste woon.
Rudolf glo dat infrastruktuur, soos pyplyne, damme, watersuiweringaanlegte en waterpompe, wat nie in stand gehou word nie dra by tot die kernprobleem van die agteruitgang van Brakpan.
Enorme hoeveelhede water gaan verlore weens lekke en gebrekkige infrastruktuur. Kundigheid met waterbestuur ontbreek weens regstellende aksie en kaderontplooiing.
Hy is betrokke by die herstel van infrastruktuur by ouetehuise, is taksekretaris van Brakpan AfriForum, waar hy op verskeie komitees dien. Rudolf is ook in die strukture van die VF Plus betrokke waar hy gereeld aan party-projekte in die omgewing deelneem.
Ward councillor candidates were invited to submit photographs and write-ups. Some candidates had not submitted information as requested.
This publication does not endorse any specific political party or candidate.
