By OBAKENG MAJE
The Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) president, Dr Mbahare Kekana said his party aims to address interdependent socio-economic phenomena such as inequality, poverty, and unemployment during the 2021 Local Government Elections.
Kekana who launched his party’s manifesto in Lichtenburg on Wednesday said many South Africans continue to live in squalor and that needs to change.
“We are very excited about the outcomes of the Constitutional Court’s decision as we managed to stop the long-term suffering of our people to allow them in their respective communities to vote for change on 1 November 2021.
“This shows that the justice system of South Africa is at times, objective and fair. However, through this victory, F4SD has shown that we are a party that cares about the livelihood of the South African citizens,” he said.
Kekana said their 2021 Manifesto launch themed: ‘Let’s End Poverty and Corruption’. He further said the F4SD was founded back in 2015 as a serious response to the failures of the current South African government with an aim to tackle grassroots issues such as water, immigration laws, Housing and Sanitation, Electoral Reform, Education and poverty.
“The party embodies its founding principles in four pillars such as Grassroots democracy, Economic and social justice, Non-violence and Environmental Sustainability. The F4SD is here to rescue the people of South Africa from poverty, lack of service delivery, high rate of unemployment, corruption, financial incompetency, high rate of crime, lack of focus or support to rural and township economy, environmental waste degradation.
“As when other political parties were quiet and willing to see you suffer longer due to non-service delivery, we are the party that stood up and was ready to stand for what we believed was right for the people on the ground,” said Kekana.
He said their victory against the IEC has proven beyond reasonable doubt that Forum 4 Service Delivery is a party that advocates for social cohesion and uplifts the basic human rights of all South Africans.
“The F4SD 2021 LGE Manifesto is based on the four pillars which will bring hope to the masses and which will usher in change. Change for a better tomorrow, change for a new future. We are ready to serve you as our people through the other four pillars which are housing and sanitation, environmental sustainability, progressive educational system, and economic and social justice.
“In 2016 Local Government Elections, the statistics have proven that our party became the 4th biggest political party in the North West province having amassed 55 202 votes and winning 29 proportional Representative (PR) Council seats,” he said.
Kekana said his party is also represented in municipalities in Mpumalanga and the Free State wherein they have one seat per province. He added that F4SD will contest seven provinces during the 2021 LGE.
“Since the establishment, F4SD has managed to spread across five provinces in South Africa. The motion of no confidence was filed as successful in the Lekwa-Teemane, Maqussi Hills, the Greater Taung, and Madibeng Local Municipalities respectively. We are a political party that has held Tswaing Local Municipality accountable for health hazards to the community with sewage spillages.
“We have also opened a case of corruption and maladministration against senior officials in the municipality and in 2021, we fought against all odds for our people’s voice to be heard by taking IEC head-on on attempts to postpone the 2021 Local Government Election,” he said.
The Guardian 