Dr Makhosi Khoza running for Durban mayor

Action SA’s Dr Makhosi Khoza has thrown her hat in the ring for the eThekwini Mayor position.

The firebrand former parliamentarian is no stranger to the people of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and South Africa as a whole.

Khoza served as a pivotal figure in holding former President Jacob Zuma to account in Parliament at the height of his powers, and publicly declared that she would vote for a motion of no confidence in him, despite being an ANC MP at the time.

“Dr Khoza brings her tried and tested ethical leadership, competence, decades of political experience at national and local spheres of governance, and a deep desire to see eThekwini transformed into a thriving and inclusive city that allows all its residents to lead dignified and productive lives,” said Action SA leader Herman Mashaba.

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Mashaba said that Dr Khoza also served as the party’s KZN Chairperson with distinction, leading exponential growth of the party within the province and fighting for true service delivery to communities.

“We are proud to put forward Dr Khoza as our Mayoral Candidate and believe that she has what it takes to unite the people of eThekwini behind ActionSA’s vision to fix the City,” added Mashaba.

ActionSA plans to contest all 111 wards in eThekwini in the coming elections, saying the city of eThekwini has degenerated into a state of mismanagement, crime and grime, and crumbling service delivery.

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Khoza’s plan for eThekweni

Khoza’s goals for the embattled city include an overhaul clean-up, starting with fixing inaccurate billing and investing in infrastructure. She also planst to apply a greater portion of the city’s revenue towards critical infrastructure such as water pipes.

“To this day, the city doesn’t have a water leak detection system. This means that ratepayers are often subjected to exorbitant bills that have no connection to their actual usage

“In the increasingly cruel eThekwini municipal offices, it has become acceptable to leave whole communities without access to potable water or power for weeks on end,” the party said.

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Khoza will also look at reclaiming abandoned and derelict buildings in the city centre, and redirecting them towards productive businesses and housing opportunities.

“Reclaiming and revitalising these buildings will serve to create economic opportunities for residents whilst creating an additional revenue stream which can be used to deliver services to the city,” said Mashaba.