The upcoming local government elections have been spiced up with unusual faces like media personality Kuli Roberts, former soccer star Kenny Niemach and ex-Springboks coach Peter de Villiers on the ballots.
Roberts, a former Kaya FM presenter and Sunday World lifestyle editor, was unveiled as the African Transformation Movement (ATM) ward 65 councillor candidate in Tshwane on Wednesday.
De Villiers is the Good Party mayoral candidate for the Drakensburg municipality in the Cape Winelands in the Western Cape.
Niemach has his sights set on the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality as he is a United Independent Movement (UIM) ward councillor candidate in the area.
Niemach, who was known for banging in the goals for the club known as the Phefeni Glamour Boys, said he doesn’t see his new role of tackling politics as a career path.
“It wasn’t necessarily a career move. Every South African doesn’t have to be a politician in order to have something to say,” said Niemach.
“I am on the roll. I have made the decision to stand in ward 31. We have to be the change that we are looking for. We can’t keep on complaining as to why we find our country in this state of decline. We ought to raise our voice about our country’s issues and it is our constitutional right to do so.”
He said all South Africans had to recognise that they had a constitutional right to express their views, and have people who were in leadership to lead as the people required.
“It is an injustice or an indictment on ourselves and myself if we keep quiet while certain things are not fixed and repaired. Service delivery, the price of goods and services, the price of electricity and water, all of these things directly affect people like me.
“Just because I’m an ex-footballer and I worked in television, doesn’t mean I can’t get my voice to be heard. I come as a citizen of this country merely to voice my opinion and to offer my services to this country and people,” said Niemach.
Niemach, 49, from Boksburg, on the East Rand, said the deplorable levels of poor service delivery in the country and the financial collapse of state-owned enterprises among others, had pushed him to join the UIM led by Neil de Beer.
“The evidence of non-service delivery prompted me [to join politics]. We are living in our areas where they are in a state of decay. I asked myself, ‘how do we fix this situation?’ Then I heard of the UIM and I have seen what they have been doing over the last year in terms of service of community.
“The leader is willing to put himself out there. He shows that he cares. He has gone out where there have been shootings, gun battles and drug lords. He is willing to sacrifice his life.”
He said if he didn’t win the elections to be held on November 1, he would contest again in the 2024 general elections.
On Wednesday, Roberts took to Twitter and responded to comments from various people about her candidacy after ATM’s Mzwanele Manyi shared a poster announcing her campaign to run for office.
“Well, I’ve been at it for decades. We need to do better and there are many of us. Instead of burning the schools, let’s extend them. I’m all about living in a safe area where they know how to install water meters and don’t estimate electricity usage or claim to have undercharged.”
on Thursday Roberts asked Sowetan to call her at 5pm but then her phone was switched off.
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