Ratepayers in eThekwini are campaigning for seats on the council so they can influence how ratepayers' money is managed and spent.
The eThekwini Ratepayers Political Movement (ERPM) has described itself as the only party that will fight for the interests of ratepayers and serve them without fear or favour. The party's leaders said community members who wanted to become involved in eThekwini should vote for the movement to secure a truly responsive council. The party will be among nearly 70 parties contesting for political power in eThekwini.
Party spokesperson Rose Cortes said: "Our sole interest is fixing eThekwini and all 12 wards of the city. This is the only place where we are registered, and we are not answerable to any national structure. We want to have a say in the decisions that are made," she said.
She spoke about the ongoing election campaign in the city, saying it had been difficult but that the party remained committed to bringing about change.
The eThekwini Ratepayers Movement started as a ratepayers' organisation focused on addressing service-delivery issues before pivoting to contest the 4 November elections. It has clashed with the municipality's leadership several times over service-delivery challenges.
Cortes said registering as a political organisation meant that the two structures, while linked by their shared focus on service delivery, would remain separate. One would operate inside the council, fighting on behalf of ratepayers, while the other would continue the civic work it had carried out over the past five years.
"We have realised that those in power are not listening to us, the ratepayers. All we want to do is improve service delivery and manage our money properly," she said.
She said the organisation wanted communities to have a say in their affairs, pointing out that critical aspects of governance, such as community-participation processes, had become tick-box exercises.
The movement was encouraging South Africans and Durban residents who felt let down by the current political parties and had decided to stop voting altogether, she said.
"This is the political home for all those people. They must come out and vote for us because we have also felt politically homeless," she said.
Cortes added that the organisation would deal firmly with any councillor who, once elected, failed to serve their community.
She said if a councillor failed to serve the community and there was an outcry, the organisation would force the councillor out and, if necessary, hold by-elections. It was committed to having only councillors who were there to serve their communities.
Political analyst Daniel Silke said such organisations were active on the ground, understood local issues better than others and offered an independent political voice in the interests of ratepayers. He said that, in theory, they would be able to participate more closely in municipal affairs and influence decisions.
"The reality is that political parties with a large footprint are the ones that will have more power. While ratepayer movements have sometimes held the balance of power in some hung municipalities, in general, the stability offered by larger political parties provides more continuity. Voters themselves are more likely to choose political parties, even though they know ratepayer movements are much closer to the ground," said Silke.
He said this would limit the ratepayers' movement's ability to gain votes.