First Take SA

The African Content Movement leader, Hlaudi Motsoeng has vowed to deliver 'miracles' within the first six months of being voted into municipal councils post the November 1st Local Government Elections. Motsoeneng launched his party's election manifesto in his home town of Qwa-Qwa in the Free State, labeling himself as a man of action. The former SABC COO, is known amongst many other controversies as a promoter of local content where he once introduced a policy to give ninety-percent airplay to local artists on all the public broadcaster's platforms. Motsoeneng has since turned to politics, registering his political party three months before the 2019 national government elections. He says the country needs a leader of his calibre to improve service delivery...

As the country heads to the Local Government Elections on November 1, a number of communities say they continue to be overlooked and marginalised. The Unemployed People's Movement and the Gatvol Movement are two such organisations. The movements have accused government of failing to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans in the 27 years since the birth of democracy. Millions of young people find themselves without work with more expected to join the unemployment queues as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to be felf. In this morning's LOCAL GOVERNEMENT ELECTION FORUM, we look at what the impact of the unemployed vote is likely to have on the upcoming election. We are by Gatvol Movement President, Fadiel Adams and Spokesperson for the Unemployed People's Movement, Ayanda Kota...

The November 1st Local Government Elections are just 11 days away and parties on the campaign trail will seek to intensify their messaging in the coming days. Communities across the country have for the past two months witnessed various political parties making promises and commitments on service delivery issues such as the provision of water and electricity, housing, jobs and the rooting out of corruption among  a basket of many other issues. For Soweto residents, as in many other parts of Gauteng and the rest country, the provision of electricity may just be the one issue that may determine who they will give their vote to come election day. The non payment of electricity bills by many households in Soweto has led to billions being owed to ESKOM, constant load shedding and has also created a headache for the power utility and the governing ANC.  On today's Election Forum, we discuss Soweto's electricity crisis and we are joined by one of the leaders of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, Dr Trevor Ngwane as well as the national chairperson of the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa, Izak Berg and political analyst from the Nelson Mandela University, Ongama Mtimka

Despite constituting the majority of South Africa's population and comprising the largest number of voters, women participation as candidates in elections is still skewed in favour of men. In the 2016 municipal elections, women accounted for 58% of voters, and yet just under 40% of the elected candidates were women. Laws such as the Municipal Structures Act require that party lists for local government elections "seek to ensure" that 50% of candidates on the party list be women. Calls are now being made for the IEC Act to be amended to enable IEC to demand gender balanced candidate lists from political parties. SABC Senior reporter, Tshepo Phagane filed this report…

For further discussion on the role and place for women candidates in elections we also spoke to the president of Ikhwezi Political Movement, Nokuzola Kolwapi and the Director of Policy Research at the Commission for Gender Equality, Dr Thabo Rapoo. Good morning to you both and welcome.....

In the midst of escalating new wave pro-democracy protests; King Mswati has ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of all schools in eSwatini. Pupils and students in the kingdom have been protesting for a number of weeks, boycotting lessons and calling for free schooling, as well as an end to the rule under King Mswati III. ESwatini's  Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini announced the king's decision over the weekend. We spoke to Sonkhe Dube, President of Swaziland Youth Congress

Political analyst, Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast, believes the November 1st Local Government Elections will most likely produce more coalition governments. This morning we examine the future of municipal coalition governments in light of dismal developments in Nelson Mandela Bay , Tshwane and Johannesburg Metros where shacky coalitions were cobbled up after the 2016 election.  Dr Breakfast maintains that although coalitions work well in some countries, the experience in South African has been poor as confrontations between political parties have led to stalled governance and a lack of service delivery. On the line to discuss this further, we spoke to Dr Breakfast, together with the current DA mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in the Eastern Cape, Nqaba Bhanga….

The Minority Front has encouraged registered voters to vote with their heads during the upcoming Local Government Elections on November the 1st. The party, formed back in 1993 has been in existence for 28 years now although its base remains within the Indian community, in areas such as Chatsworth and Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal. Party leader Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi, wife of the former leader, Amichand Rajbansi, who passed on back in 2011 at the age of 69, says policies such as affirmative action need to be inclusive of minority groups. Shukur-Rajbansi adds that the power for change is now in the hands of voters...

Al Jama-ah is the latest political party to reject the call for an independent Western Cape. Addressing party members in supporters on the party's election manifesto ahead of the local government elections in Kliptown, Soweto last Friday, party President, Ganief Hendricks lambasted the suggestion. Founded in 2007, the party has grown to have a representation in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. We spoke to Al-Jama-ah President, Ganief Hendricks

The Patriotic Alliance says first on its priority list when it takes over municipalities will be to deal with the issue of illegal immigrants. It says all illegal foreign nationals will be taken out of South Africa following the November 1st elections. Its leader Gayton McKenzie says only those with scarce skills will be let into the country. The PA launched its local government election manifesto in the Coloured community of Eldorado Park south of Johannesburg on Saturday. We spoke to Patriotic Alliance's president Gayton McKenzie.

The 2021 local government elections have seen an increase in the number of independent candidates compared to 2016. A total of 1 549 independents have registered and will be contesting in wards across the country come November the 1st.  However, some voters are skeptical about voting for an independent candidate. On the show this morning, we are in conversation with One SA Movement leader, Mmusi Maimane, Ward candidate from the Knysna Independent Movement in the Western Cape, Susan Campbell and Independent ward candidate from the Makana Citizens Front in Makhanda, Lungile Mxube