Sarah Eliza Tema says her first 100 days as Ward 91 councillor would focus on investigating recurring power outages, addressing potholes and working with police and community patrols to tackle crime.

uMkhonto weSizwe Party candidate Sarah Eliza Tema is standing for Ward 91 in Ekurhuleni North Subregion.

A qualified educator, Tema says her commitment to public service grew through working with children from disadvantaged communities. She describes supporting struggling learners with necessities such as clothing and financial assistance, and helping identify academic difficulties linked to poverty and family circumstances.

If elected, she says she would audit recurring power outages and potholes, work with the relevant municipal departments on repair schedules and establish a committee to monitor progress. She also proposes closer cooperation with police and community patrol forums to identify crime hotspots and check whether streetlights are functioning.

Here, Tema outlines her priorities and how she would approach accountability to residents.

1. Please introduce yourself to residents. Who are you, and what experience, skills or community involvement do you believe are relevant to serving as a ward councillor?

My name is Sarah Tema, and I am a qualified educator.

My commitment to public service did not begin with politics. As an educator, I dedicated many years to serving others, particularly children from disadvantaged communities.

During my teaching career, I assisted struggling children by contributing money, clothing and other necessities. I was also tasked with overseeing the school-based support team, which identified learners who were struggling academically. Some of their difficulties were linked to poverty and challenging family circumstances.

2. Why have you decided to stand for election in this ward? What motivated you to put yourself forward as a candidate?

My response identifies youth unemployment, substance abuse and crime, among other service-delivery concerns, as issues affecting the community.

3. What do you believe are the three biggest challenges currently facing your ward?

The three biggest challenges are recurring power outages, potholes and crime.

4. If elected, what would be your top three priorities during your first year in office?

My priorities would be recurring power outages, potholes and crime.

5. What specific steps would you take to address the biggest service-delivery challenges in the ward?

My first 100 days

Power outages

• Audit recurring power outages.
• Meet with the relevant municipal department to identify the causes.
• Develop a schedule and timeframe to reduce recurring outages.

Potholes

• Conduct an audit of potholes.
• Engage the municipal roads department to develop a repair programme.
• Establish a committee to monitor progress.

Crime

• Visit the police station to help identify high-risk areas.
• Check whether streetlights are working in those areas.
• Work with community patrol forums to support regular patrols.
• Focus on drug dealing, which I believe contributes to crime, including among young people experiencing addiction.

6. What would you do to improve communication between the ward councillor, residents and the City of Ekurhuleni?

Between the ward councillor and residents, I would create a WhatsApp communication group where residents could report concerns and receive updates on progress.

I would also hold regular community meetings.

Between the ward councillor and the municipality, I would establish communication links with all municipal departments to ensure complaints are registered and addressed.

7. How would you ensure that residents’ concerns are followed up and that they receive feedback on issues reported to you?

I would keep records of all concerns raised and ensure they are escalated to the relevant departments.

I would negotiate timeframes with municipal departments for addressing concerns, monitor progress, identify delays and report back to residents.

If delays persisted, I would advocate for additional resources. I would also use regular community meetings to report on progress.

8. What do you believe is one issue in the ward that has not received enough attention, and what would you do about it if elected?

Power outages are a concern. Cable theft has increased in the ward, and old infrastructure and irregular maintenance are also contributing factors.

I believe these issues point to problems with management and leadership.

I would advocate for municipal managers to receive weekly performance reports from the various departments, supported by physical evidence that confirms the reported work.

9. How would you measure your performance as a ward councillor? What should residents be able to hold you accountable for at the end of your term?

I would measure my performance by the changes residents experience in their daily lives.

I would also hold meetings with the community to hear residents’ feedback on my performance.

10. Why should residents consider you when deciding who to vote for as their ward councillor?

I am a resident who lives in the same neighbourhood and shares the same concerns.

Accountability will be my priority. I am prepared to be held accountable for my decisions and the commitments I make to residents.

Residents have the power to remove me if I do not perform to their expectations.