Four Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus ) candidates contesting eThekwini wards 48, 50, 51 and 65 in Phoenix and Chatsworth say they will prioritise basic services, municipal accountability, crime prevention and jobs.
The women said they wanted to address poor service delivery, water and electricity disruptions, crime and unemployment, in the area.
The candidates, who are contesting wards 48, 50, 51 and 65, believe the party’s 10-point plan offers a framework to improve municipal accountability, maintain infrastructure and create safer communities.
They also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in politics saying they were motivated by the need to bring change to communities they believed had been neglected.
Trisha Nair, 36, an entrepreneur from Brookdale, Phoenix, is contesting Ward 48, which includes Clayfield, Centenary Park, Rainham, Rockford, Stonebridge and Phoenix Industrial.
Nair said she chose the VF Plus because she believed in accountability, community safety, service delivery and protecting residents’ rights.
“As an Indian woman in South Africa, I believe every community deserves to be heard and treated fairly. The VF Plus Ten-Point Plan supports my vision of safer communities, better services, responsible government, job creation and equal opportunities for all,” she said.
Nair said water shortages, poor service delivery, potholes, crime, unemployment and neglected infrastructure were among the biggest challenges facing residents.
She said her priorities would include reliable water supplies, cleaner neighbourhoods, safer streets and improved municipal accountability.
“I want residents to see a councillor who is present, accessible and committed to solving problems. My priorities are reporting and following up on water interruptions, refuse collection, women empowerment, eradicating gender-based violence, child abuse and crime,” she said.
Nair also pledged to push for transparent municipal spending, regular community meetings and measurable progress on residents’ concerns.
“As a resident of Phoenix, I have witnessed first-hand how much our community has deteriorated because of a lack of service delivery, water shortages, frequent electricity cuts and crime. I, as a citizen of South Africa, need to see a change for the better, and I am determined to bring about that change,” she said.
She said residents should judge her by her actions rather than her promises, adding that she would communicate honestly about problems reported to the municipality and keep the community informed about progress.
“I believe leadership is not determined by race or gender, but by commitment, integrity and the willingness to serve. As an Indian woman, I want to show that we can work together across cultural differences for the benefit of all South Africans,” Nair said.
She added that the party had supported her throughout her political journey and that she wanted to help victims of abuse while empowering women and young people.
“I will listen, take action and remain accountable to the people I serve. I believe with VF Plus our community will have a voice,” she said.
Ugeshnie Govender, 45, from Kharwastan, is contesting Ward 65.
Govender said she joined the VF Plus about a year ago because she believed the party needed more representation to make a difference in the city.
“I felt the party needed more of us on their side to make a difference in our city. We are a very diverse party with councillors from different race groups,” she said.
Govender said she believed the party could assist residents who felt abandoned by their current ward representatives.
“I believe we will be fighting for people who need help, especially those who have been left helpless by the ward councillors they currently have,” she said.
She identified electricity and water as the main concerns in her area, adding that campaigning had also presented challenges.
“We have also faced the issue of other parties in the area fighting with us when we campaign. They do not want us to take over what they feel they have been doing well. We will not step down; we are for the people. I am proud to be part of the VF Plus party, and we will make a change,” Govender said.
Hazelene Harrychundra, 48, a child-care minder from Sunford, Phoenix, is contesting Ward 50, which includes Stanmore, Grove End, Woodview, Canehaven, Caneside and Foresthaven.
Harrychundra said she volunteered as a candidate because she wanted to contribute to the party and improve services for Phoenix ratepayers.
“I volunteered to join the VF Plus as a candidate councillor to add value to the party and serve the Phoenix ratepayers, who need better leadership and a new party that delivers on services they pay for and are entitled to,” she said.
She said service delivery had declined, pointing to water shortages, electricity transformer problems, interruptions, leaks, unmaintained verges, neglected parks and play areas.
Harrychundra also raised concerns about open spaces allegedly being sold for housing developments, saying this deprived children and communities of recreational areas.
Unemployment was another concern, with Harrychundra saying she wanted more employment opportunities for young people.
“I have two adult sons who have to live and work in the Western Cape, as AA, BBBEE and EE make it difficult to work in Durban. We don't need to send our children to other provinces if we employ them on merit, not colour,” she said.
She said her goal was to restore the ward to what she described as its former glory, with functioning infrastructure and reliable services.
“I would like to bring my ward back to its former glory pre-1994, where everything worked well, including infrastructure and service delivery. Give them value for money,” she said.
Harrychundra also rejected the perception that the VF Plus was exclusively an Afrikaner party, saying its membership was open to people of all races.
She said Indian women were well represented among the party’s candidates in Phoenix and argued that women were increasingly taking up leadership roles.
“We are not male-dominated, we dominate,” she said.
Harrychundra said the party hoped to increase its representation in the eThekwini council and provide better service delivery, adding that non-performing councillors should be held accountable.
“If we fail, the party and the people have the right to remove us. That's democracy,” she said.
Shivara Chotkan, 30, an entrepreneur who works as a baker and confectioner, is contesting Ward 51, which includes Palmview, Shastri Park, Trenance Manor, Brookdale and Caneside.
Chotkan said she was drawn to the VF Plus by its emphasis on self-determination and the protection of minority rights, including language, culture and religion.
“I admire the concept of self-determination by the VF Plus, which protects our minority rights as Indians in the form of language, culture and religion. We must be able to determine our future as Indians in South Africa,” she said.
Chotkan argued that current government policies disadvantaged Indian communities in employment, education and business opportunities.
She said she wanted to apply the party’s 10-point plan to improve the functioning of the eThekwini Municipality and address electricity and water outages, leaks, potholes, overgrown verges, neglected parks and play areas.
She also highlighted problems at local libraries, including shortages of paper and toner, as well as concerns about cattle entering roads and residential areas.
Chotkan said crime, pollution and illegal dumping in Phoenix also needed urgent attention.
“I am a female and a youth, and I would like the council to empower the youth in training, jobs and skills development. Service delivery must be provided 100% as ratepayers must get value for money. Infrastructure must be well maintained,” she said.
She added that employment opportunities should be based on merit rather than race, and said young people needed better access to jobs and skills development.
Chotkan said she had not experienced challenges within the party because of her gender or background.
“I admire the VF Plus as it is not only for Afrikaners but represents all minorities, including Indians. There are no challenges here in this party; the doors are wide open to us as Indian and female,” she said.
She said the party hoped to increase its representation in eThekwini from its existing proportional representation to as many as eight seats, depending on voter support.
“The Freedom Front Plus, VF, has been delivering in National Parliament, Provincial Parliament and throughout the many municipalities in South Africa. The only province they need to make a bigger presence in is KZN,” Chotkan said.
She added that the party had the right to remove councillors who failed to perform.