It was June last year when a member of the Ladysmith community heard about a newly-formed / established party called AGANG SA. He heard that due to its formation statements made by leader and founder Dr Mamphele Ramphele, AGANG SA will not only be a political party but a platform that will focus on rekindling the hope that building the country of our dreams is possible in our lifetime.
That’s the time Ladysmith citizen Leon Jack joined and became a member of AGANG SA. After attending a few meetings with members of what was then the interim provincial structure of the party, Leon managed to recruit some new members in and around Ladysmith. In September last year, AGANG SA Ladysmith’s executive structure was elected, with Leon Jack elected as chairperson, Nikeziwe Magubane as secretary general, Nomusa Nsele as vice-chairperson, Wendie Zwane as treasurer, Zanele Mthombeni as organiser and Dumisani Mtshali as party cheer leader. These elected members have a huge responsibility of liasing with provincial and national structures of the party.
On February 22 last year, the party held the KwaZulu-Natal regional and provincial elections. Again, due to the tremendous job that Ladysmith structures have done, Nikeziwe Magubane, Leon Jack, Nomusa Nsele and Zamani Ndaba were elected as heads of the regional structure in the Uthukela region. Provincially, only Leon Jack has been elected as a member of the provincial convening structure of the party.
As all those structures are now in place, the political party says it is ready to serve Ladysmith. The party is now focusing on the South African national elections because they have managed to identify some issues that need their undivided attention. “We, as South Africans, have come a long way since the end of apartheid, but the government has not come far enough or fast enough,” says Leon. “20 years is too long to wait for dignified jobs and homes, quality education and healthcare, safe streets and police services that protect us all. We did not fight and die in the struggle so that millions of our fellow citizens should still be living in poverty, as forgotten citizens, while corrupt officials and their cronies are robbing South Africans of their rights,” he adds.
