ActionSA’s Kwena Mangope ready to remove ANC from government

ActionSA’s North West leader, retired brigadier-general Kwena Mangope, aims to take over the provincial government in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

He has already started to campaign because he believes it is not going to be easy to remove the ANC from government.

“It has never been easy, it is not going to be easy. I took this sober decision, knowing its impact on the local people, because I have come to the conclusion that the living conditions of our people are appalling,” he said.

He believes the establishment of ethical leadership will do away with the rife corruption in the public sector.

Mangope was appointed party leader in the province in December last year.

He strongly believes the ANC in the province has not done enough to change the lives of the ordinary people in the area.

“I am of the view that the ANC hasn’t been able to change the livelihoods of the people – in the entire 28 years where the ANC has led our province, as well as the country in general,” he said.

“In our communities, there is no service delivery as one would expect any municipality to do.

“The root of service delivery lies with our municipalities, rather than with provincial and national government, so it is imperative to have functioning and effective municipalities.”

He emphasised the importance of appointing skilled people, rather than opting for party deployment, which he accused of causing the inefficiency.

This son of erstwhile Bophuthatswana homeland leader Lucas Mangope spent much of his life in the military.

I have never been active in politics until last year because I was a soldier.

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He does not hide his lack of political background but says ActionSA resonates well with his own values.

“I associate with ActionSA, especially on the aspect of fixing South Africa,” Mangope said.

“They also have values such as equality, education, economic prosperity, respect for the rule of law and social justice.”

Mangope took over the reins of the Bahurutshe-boo-Manyane kingship in 2018 when his father became ill.

According to Mangope, he does not intend to create enemies or be hostile to the government in his other position as king.

He is defending his decision to join and lead a political party, and he claims that it would not sour his relationship with the government as a tribal authority.

Although he could not state the number of people who have joined the party he says that they are establishing branches across the province.

“In two weeks I will be able to tell you the figure because I do not want to estimate,” he said.

He believed new party members of ActionSA should be thoroughly screened to ensure those members who were known to have caused trouble in their previous parties are well monitored.

Mangope said he also believed new members should be taught about political organisation and party life.

“This would avoid the situation where members do not understand organisational principle,” he said.