Mncwango pledges ‘ethical government’ if elected eThekwini mayor

Zwakele Mncwango, the leader of ActionSA and a candidate for eThekwini mayor, has pledged to lead an "ethical government" if elected in the upcoming local government elections on November 4. Mncwango outlined several key priorities for his potential tenure as mayor of the city. These include establishing a competent local government, boosting economic activity, and combating crime.

He criticized unethical leadership for enabling corruption, which has stifled economic growth and opportunities in eThekwini. Mncwango explained that the normalization of corrupt practices, such as bribery and sexual harassment, has become the status quo in the city. To address this, he promised to promote lifestyle audits for city officials and impose consequences on those found guilty of misconduct.

He emphasized that officials would be more accountable if they knew there would be harsh sanctions for their wrongdoing. Mncwango added that economic growth in the city is often impeded by bureaucratic red tape, which is frequently linked to corruption. He alleged that officials sometimes delay projects or payments to service providers to extort money from them.

To tackle this issue, he proposed removing red tape through lifestyle audits, which could reveal individuals who have benefited from bribery without applying for senior positions. Mncwango also prioritized fighting crime by granting the eThekwini Metro Police greater powers to collaborate with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

He suggested that metro police should have the authority to address crime in areas plagued by criminality and be empowered beyond issuing traffic fines. He emphasized the need to invest in technology to effectively combat crime, beyond the police's current focus on issuing fines.