Makhosi Khoza to head Outa’s local government programme

The former ANC MP says today marks her new trajectory away from politics and into activism in the wider civil society.


Dr Makhosi Khoza has been announced as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s (Outa) new head of local government strategy, where she will work to ensure “quality, effective and efficient municipal services”.

The move comes after Khoza last month resigned from the African Democratic Change (ADeC), the party she founded, and subsequently stepped down from politics.

In a Facebook post announcing her retirement from politics, Khoza stated she would pursue her “deepest passion, conviction and mission in local governance and administration, education and elevation of African languages”.

Speaking at the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences, where Outa announced her appointment, Khoza said joining the organisation was the beginning of her apolitical journey as a social activist.

“Everyone in this room would concur with the fact that despite local government being the closest sphere of government in South Africa, it is ironically and tragically, the most neglected,” Khaza said.

“I hope to make a maximum impact on this sphere of governance. We pay property rates in order to get quality, effective and efficient municipal services.

“Sadly, the local governance sphere is riddled with corruption, incompetency, poor services. Government needs to be assisted through pointing out these challenges, providing practical and effective solutions to them as well as ensuring that the necessary capacity is built,” she added.

“I am glad that we have a vehicle like Outa that belongs to every citizen in South African that aims at achieving the quality of life for all South Africans. It is a vehicle established to undo tax abuse.”.

Khoza left the governing party last year after being removed as chairperson of the public service and administration portfolio committee, following a campaign against her leadership by some ANC committee members.

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