Former Msunduzi mayor's insights on local government

FORMER mayor of the Msunduzi Municipality, Themba Njilo, has shared some sobering views of his time in politics, saying many who take up the mayoral chains have bright ideas to grow the city but face fierce opposition and challenges.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

FORMER Msunduzi Municipality mayor Themba Njilo has described the tough period he had at the helm of the province's capital city. I Independent Newspapers Archives

(Independent Newspapers Archives)

As parties begin announcing their mayoral candidates ahead of next year's local government elections, Njilo, in a candid interview with The Mercury, characterised his years as mayor as the most challenging and unproductive period he has ever experienced in a leadership role.

Njilo, a businessman, spoke about his experience as an outsider stepping into a fraught and complex environment of local politics.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently announced their candidates for mayor in eThekwini and Johannesburg, while Action SA has announced its candidate for Ekhurhuleni.

The DA introduced Haniff Hoosen as its mayoral candidate in eThekwini and Helen Zille for Johannesburg, while ActionSA announced Xolani Khumalo as its mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni.

Khumalo, a TV personality, has gained public credibility through his crime-fighting TV shows that expose drug dealers. However, he comes to the position as a novice, with no publicly known experience in politics or running a municipality.