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Media personality, poet, and author Nontsikelelo “Ntsiki” Mazwai has entered the race for Johannesburg mayor, launching her candidacy under the Land Party banner ahead of the local government elections in November. The party made the official announcement during a media briefing on Wednesday. Mazwai joins a pool of high-profile political figures, including the DA’s Helen Zille and ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba, all gunning to govern the city of gold.Born in Soweto and raised in Johannesburg, Mazwai said in her launch speech: “I carry in my heart the story of this city, its painful history of repression, its days of glory, and the difficult chapter it is living through right now.“Like so many of you, I have watched with deep pain as those we entrusted with the care of our city allowed it to fall into neglect and lawlessness. Johannesburg, once a beacon of promise, has been left looking like too many broken cities across our continent. Today, I refuse to remain an armchair critic. I have decided to act.”I raise my hand, not only to be counted, but to offer my hand to every resident who loves Johannesburg— Ntsiki MazwaiThe Land Party, which is led by Gcobani Ndzongana, was described by Mazwai as her ideal political home. She said it has a consistent track record of fighting for the poor, the destitute, the working class and ordinary South Africans.“It is the party with pragmatic policies that speak directly to the daily struggles of our people: the exclusion of South Africans from the labour market, the crime and lawlessness that turn our streets into no-go zones after 6pm, the tragic killing of active citizens such as DJ Warras and many others who tried to reclaim this city, and the crisis of undocumented immigration that continues to strain our communities,” she said.Mazwai said her administration would prioritise improving basic service delivery, providing dignified housing for Alexandra, encouraging responsible foreign investment while putting South Africans first, fixing crumbling roads and infrastructure, and creating a safer city.As part of her platform, she is advocating for labour laws that mandate a 90% South African workforce and a 10% cap on foreign labour across the city.She asked residents to give her the opportunity to lead the municipality.“I raise my hand, not only to be counted, but to offer my hand to every resident who loves Johannesburg. Join me as volunteers. Let us rebuild this city together, street by street, community by community, block by block.”Sowetan
