Rachel Vadi|Published
Candidates from Al Jamah, the ACDP and Freedom Front Plus outline their proposals for tackling eThekwini’s water losses, municipal finances, service delivery and corruption ahead of the November 4, Local Government Elections.
Saleem Hassan Mia, Al Jamah, age 52
Born in Isipingo, Mia aims to ensure that communities receive responsive, accountable and effective service delivery.
His six-point community priorities include improving and maintaining roads while upgrading stormwater drainage systems; maintaining verges and keeping the streets clean; promoting safe, dignified and affordable housing; working towards consistent access to clean and reliable water; strengthening initiatives that improve public safety and reduce crime; and investing in education, skills development, recreation and employment opportunities.
"eThekwini is a great city with enormous potential, but we cannot ignore the serious challenges facing residents. We therefore seek to build a municipality where officials are appointed for competence and integrity, public procurement is transparent, corruption is met with consequence, basic services are treated as fundamental municipal responsibilities, businesses are given an environment in which they can create jobs and municipal finances are managed prudently,” said Mia.
He said the water service issues would be a “first emergency,” and his immediate plan would be to establish a 100-day Water Recovery Programme.
This would include identifying the worst-performing water zones and prioritising them according to water losses; moving from a reactive system to a maintenance culture; accelerating metering and meter replacement; attacking illegal connections and commercial losses fairly and lawfully, and ring-fencing water infrastructure expenditure.”
For Mia, improving the city’s revenue collection rate means focusing on collecting what is legitimately owed, improving billing accuracy, protecting indigent households and recovering municipal losses before asking residents for more money.
Mia also supports independent lifestyle audits for senior officials; wants to establish stronger whistleblower protections; and a new initiative for the Mayor's Office - a Mayoral Community Accountability Programme.
This will include quarterly public accountability sessions, ward-level service delivery hearings, a public Mayoral Performance Dashboard, community monitoring committees and an Annual State of the Municipality Accountability Report.
Wayne Thring, African Christian Democratic Party, age 63
Sydenham-born Thring's career in politics began in 1980 when he held the position of youth leader for the UDF in Newlands. After leaving politics for religious work, he returned about a decade later, joining the ACDP.
The former retired principal held the positions of ACDP Provincial Chair, Provincial Leader, eThekwini Councillor, Federal Council of Provinces Chair, Deputy President and Member of National Parliament for the ACDP.
He said he believed leadership was not about occupying an office or enjoying its privileges.
“It is about serving people, taking responsibility and delivering measurable results. As a Christian, I believe public office is a responsibility entrusted to us by God and the people.
“I accepted this nomination because the people of eThekwini deserve clean governance, reliable services, safe communities and a municipality that responds when concerns are raised. I want to see a municipality that puts residents first, manages public money responsibly and restores dignity to our communities."
Thring said the ACDP's 2026 Local Government Election Manifesto was built around a fundamental principle; ie, municipalities exist to serve people, not political interests.
"We are committed to professionalising municipal administration by appointing skilled, competent and accountable officials on merit. We want municipal budgets to prioritise essential services, particularly water, sanitation, roads and electricity infrastructure. We also want fairer billing systems, more efficient revenue collection, responsible expenditure and greater accountability for public money."
As mayor, Thring has five basic plans to improve revenue collection. These include: correcting inaccurate bills; investigating disputed accounts, incorrect meter readings, estimated consumption and billing errors; improving collection from all liable customers; strengthening collection from businesses, institutions and property owners with outstanding accounts; and applying the law fairly and consistently.
Thring said public office must come with continuous public accountability.
"The ACDP manifesto is clear that those accused of corruption and financial mismanagement must be held accountable and speedily prosecuted, and that those found guilty should be held personally liable to repay the state, in addition to other criminal sanctions.”
Allison Mariska Schoeman, Freedom Front Plus, age 49
An attorney by profession, Schoeman has spent the last three years in politics with leadership in community advocacy, civic governance, legal practice and business management.
“Through my involvement in community leadership, particularly as Chairperson of the Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association, I have witnessed firsthand the frustration, hardship and disillusionment of residents who continue to pay for municipal services that are increasingly failing them.
"I believe the people of eThekwini deserve a municipality that functions, respects its residents and creates opportunities for future generations.”
She said the party went beyond political promises and local government must serve its communities and ratepayers deserve both accountability and value for their money.
"Our manifesto prioritises the maintenance and restoration of essential infrastructure, responsible financial management, transparent procurement processes and the appointment of suitably qualified professionals based on merit rather than political connections.
"It proposes that a substantial portion of the rates collected within communities should be reinvested in those communities, while ensuring that vulnerable residents continue to receive the essential basic services they need.
"It also recognises that economic growth and sustainable employment depend on creating an environment in which businesses can invest, operate and thrive. Reliable infrastructure, reasonable municipal tariffs and effective administration are fundamental to achieving this.
"What particularly resonates with me is the manifesto's emphasis on bringing decision-making closer to communities. Through my experience in community leadership, I have seen how disconnected residents can become from the very municipality that is supposed to represent and serve them.”
Her immediate priority would be to stop the unnecessary loss of the water in eThekwini.
"My approach would be based on three principles: identify the losses, fix the infrastructure, and hold those responsible for delivery accountable."
To combat corruption, she will establish a secure, independently managed whistleblower reporting mechanism.
"Any official found to have unlawfully intimidated, threatened, victimised or retaliated against a whistleblower must face appropriate consequences.”