If he is elected ward councillor of Ward 36, the EFF’s Sabelo Sonamzi aims to tackle youth empowerment and the psychological liberation of the Crossroads community.
The EFF is contesting the municipal election for the first time since the party’s launch.
The outspoken leader said for many years Crossroads community has been sidelined when it came to developmental issues. He said people also lived in fear of speaking out against their leaders. This, he said, had led to slow progress in terms of development.
The 35-year-old said his mission would be to see the equitable sharing of power.
He said he intended to open dialogue, where people would feel part of the society. He would do this by wrestling South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) powers away from a single political organisation. He would instead replace Sanco’s top five leadership with representatives of different political parties.
This plan, he said, would recuscitate the movement, stop in-fighting and speed up development. “Everything in Crossroads is a mess. Our people are not benefiting in our projects and facilities,” he said. He said unemployment among young people was high but people who go opportunities were from outside Crossroads.” People must vote for us to use us,” he said. Mr Sonamzi said crime was another main challenge which could only be addressed by changing the police workforce in the area. He claimed that some officers had close ties with known criminals, resulting in their effectiveness being compromised. “As soon as we take over we will ensure that young people understand they are the future of Crossroads,” said Mr Sonamzi. He called on the community to vote for him and was adamant he had enough support to win the elections. “I am not irreplaceable. EFF councillors who do not deliver will be removed,” he said, emphasising his commitment to service delivery. He said housing and youth unemployment remained the other key challenges.
Mr Sonamzi bemoaned the destruction of the Mandela Stadium, saying it had been a major contributor to the increase in crime.
“People who were good football players are now good at shooting people,” he said, promising to look at alternatives to keep young people busy.