Action SA under the leadership of Herman Mashaba announced their preferred candidate as premier of Gauteng, Funzi Ngobeni. The event was held at Newtown Junction in Johannesburg. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
ActionSA's provincial leader, Funzi Ngobeni has been announced as the party's Gauteng premier candidate ahead of the 2024 national and provincial elections.
On Thursday in Newtown, Johannesburg, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba announced Ngobeni as their force to pull the province. He joined a dog-eat-dog list of influential candidates from various parties who are also vying for the premiership.
The list includes ANC's Panyaza Lesufi, EFF's Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, DA's Solly Msimanga, Rise Mzansi's Vuyiswa Ramokgopa and the sushi king, Kenny Kunene for the Patriotic Alliance (PA).
This, as the contenders wanted to derail the ANC from governing in Gauteng, but Lesufi assured them that the province was their home and they would retain it.
Gauteng is one of the most populated provinces which has about 15 million people and contributes almost 40% to South Africa's economy.
In 2016, Ngobeni served as a DA councillor in the City of Johannesburg, and then later joined ActionSA. He was the MMC for transport, finance and development planning.
Ngobeni was the DA’s candidate to substitute Mashaba who was the city mayor in 2019.
Taking the stand, Ngobeni said ActionSA’s objective was to strengthen and tighten the loopholes to create zero tolerance for corruption.
He was confident to say his party was unapologetic about the necessity to remove the ANC government from power at the polls.
Ngobeni mentioned that an ActionSA-led provincial government would take back control of the province’s neglected economic infrastructure.
He promised to commission a province-wide audit of all abandoned properties, including old factories and dilapidated residential buildings in his first 100 days in office.
Part of his plan is to fix provincially-run traffic lights, road markings as well as signs.
Ngobeni further highlighted that the infrastructure roadmap placed a need for them to upgrade the water and sanitation infrastructure in municipalities across the province.
The elections will be held on May 29.
Furthermore, Mashaba was hopeful that the premier candidate would represent them well and fix the city.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics
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