Businesswoman Sinazo Mtshengu’s political agenda: to fight corruption

Politics, public relations, radio, events, catering and now service delivery – Sinazo Mtshengu, 28, has mastered the art of the Joburg hustle.

She came to the big city like a character in a movie after quitting her small-town TV and radio job in Port Elizabeth. That leap of faith was only three years ago.

Today, the KwaZulu-Natal businesswoman sits on the board as a non-executive director at City of Joburg’s refuse entity Pikitup, started a catering company three weeks ago and is a spokesperson for two political parties through her media company Global Borders.

Her days consist of early mornings and late evenings with a symphony of organised chaos in between.

But this is what it takes to weather the tough climate that is Johannesburg’s hustle culture.

Born out of bleak economic times, the City of Gold has been compared to the Big Apple in the US. It is where any- one can pursue their dreams, so long as they don’t sleep. You need a job to survive, another to pursue your passion and a few gigs in between.

But the secret to making the hustle work for you, advises Mtshengu, is to take what you are passionate about and make it your job.

Mtshengu has four passions: women, politics, media and Africa.

Her career, which spans just over eight years, began with political activism as a student at Nelson Mandela University, where she joined the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (Daso).

Her involvement landed her an opportunity to study and work in Kentucky in the US, where she wrote for a local paper, and so her journalism career began.

When she returned to South Africa and went back to school, she began working at local radio stations in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Her last year in the Friendly City introduced her to mainstream politics during the 2016 local government elections, and she was working as a producer on Bay TV, where parties vied for the attention of local residents.

She reckons the ANC learned a tough lesson in PR when they lost the metro that year.

“I was fully engaged with the elections in 2016 and [Bay TV] invited everyone: the ANC, EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters], DA and UDM [United Democratic Movement], even smaller parties.

“The ANC… we invited them, and they didn’t come – and they lost the metro.

“They lost to the DA, to Athol Trollip who, at the time, was always available. He would complain but at least he would come.”

She started her company because she saw a gap in media relations expertise, especially among smaller parties.

But her motto is that whoever she works for has to stand for something she can get behind. Especially her passion for making African solutions for African problems.

“Africa needs African solutions – you know that is something that’s been said by the late [former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan.

“However we are still using the Roman Dutch law – how does that assist us? It doesn’t make sense for Africa to be using western solutions to fix African problems.

“And that is why I had to move away from corporate and get into business.”

After taking another leap of faith and responding to a simple ad in a paper, Mtshengu has now landed herself in a position where she hopes she can make a change and fight corruption.

But she insists on being blunt and honest in her work.

“I have to be honest. Corruption is a part of politics and it is a part of governance. America is corrupt, European governments are corrupt and African governments are corrupt.

“However, South Africans must not suffer just because politicians have big egos.”

Mtshengu has a great deal of respect for the political party which hailed from her birthplace, Matatiele.

As she explains it, the Africa Independant Congress (AIC) was borne of a small civil society organisation which was fighting for the rights of a rural community affected by the absorption of their municipality by the Eastern Cape government.

“When they started, these were just simple men and women who wanted to fight for their community. They knew nothing about politics.”

Last year, the AIC became one of Mtshengu’s first political clients and she ran PR for them during the general election. But she won’t pledge allegiance to any party just yet.

“I am very political, but I’m not affiliated.”

Her dual role as purveyor of political news and analysis and that of a mouthpiece for political parties puts her at an advantage in both careers, she adds.

“I like it because I have a lot of contacts,” she quips. “You know, as a journalist, your whole career is about knowing people and as a PR person you have half the work done already.”

– simnikiweh@citizen.co.za

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.