I do it from the heart

Q: Tell us about yourself?

A: I am 58 years old. I am a retired hairdresser currently serving as a community activist and contesting in the elections as an independent candidate for Ward 23 in Reservoir Hills.

Q: Why did you decide to stand for elections?

A: We have had many ward councillors elected to service the community and for decades now, it seems they are not 100% dedicated to performing their duties as a councillor. Since I have taken up their responsibilities and achieved more as a community activist, I thought why not contest the elections as an independent candidate in the hope that it would give me a better platform to work from.

Q: Why did you opt not to join an existing party?

A: The question is, which party do you join? Word on the street is that residents are fed up with voting for parties that do not deliver. Nobody wants to vote for political parties that contest the elections only to make empty promises. So I decided to stand as an independent candidate. Like Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I believe in myself. Therefore, I know I can be that change and that is why I didn’t join a political party.

Q: What do you hope to achieve if you are in government?

A: What no councillor has achieved to date and that is getting basic service delivery to the communities, both formal and informal. What the councillors fail to realise is that service delivery has no bearing on politics. It’s the constitutional right to the community. So my plan is to make sure that the municipality delivers basic services without breaking an arm and a leg to get it.

Q: Give three adjectives that best

describe your character and what you stand for?

A: Transparent, perseverant and dedicated. My service to the community has never been a stepping stone to a political agenda. I do what I do from my heart and I will continue to do so, for as long as I can, whether I am successful in this political race or not. Considering the sensitivity of the disgruntled residents of Ward 23, I'm here to show them that there definitely is a light at the end of the tunnel.