Congress of the People (COPE): Candidate Patrick Sikhutsi

POLOKWANE – With less than a week away from the South African general election, Review had the opportunity to an exclusive interview with Congress of the People’s (Cope) premier candidate.

Patrick Sikhutsi says the time for change has arrived.

“The people deserve better. The non-delivery of water, textbooks and collapsing of government institutions must stop. People have the power to decide and they must choose well.

“I think as people vote for their president, they must have the right to vote for their premier and mayor as well, so that those who are elected are accountable by the people instead of a party,” Sikhutsi explains.

The biggest change Sikhutsi wants to see in Limpopo is the realisation that one can have a multi-party democracy and not one party enjoying the monopoly.

“(Nelson) Mandela fought for a government that would listen to the ordinary man on the street and not a dominant party becoming arrogant,” Sikhutsi says.

He adds that governance is a problem in South Africa and when he becomes premier, he will change the manner in which government leads.

“Downsize the cabinet. When FW de Klerk was president he had 26 ministers, Mandela had 28 ministers and Jacob Zuma has more than 60. This is not necessary. Each minister has two houses, one in Cape Town and one in Pretoria. They also have two vehicles. Each minister has 16 bodyguards, while people do not have food or houses,” Sikhutsi says.

He adds that the president has spent R103 billion which is unaccounted for over the past five years.

“This money we will use to give free education up to a junior degree,” Sikhutsi says.

Sikhutsi is the second eldest of seven children and he is a father of four, two boys and two girls.

His hobbies are playing soccer, jogging, singing and spending time with his family and friends.

Asked if he thinks there has been progress in the province in the 20 years of democracy, Sikhutsi says: “There was determination to improve the lives of the people, but it’s sad to say that has demonised, because of self service on the part of government leaders”.

Sikhutsi would like to see the province handling its financial affairs in the next five to 10 years.

“Have a leadership capable of delivering services to the people. Have the majority of economically active young people participating in the economy by selling their labour and not relying on tender as the situation is now in Limpopo. Have a narrow income gap among black people, and we must accept each other, and the race card must be done away with,” he says.

Sikhutsi is from Madombidzha, Makhado and matriculated at Litshovhu Secondary School, whereafter he studied teaching at the then Venda College of Education.

He taught for 15 years. Sikhutsi was a member of the ANC and in 1996 he was a member of the Makhado Municipality’s executive committee, and became mayor of Makhado in 2000. In 2006 he became Vhembe District Municipality’s chief whip.

He resigned from the ANC in 2008 and joined Cope.