These remarks were delivered by ActionSA Nkangala District Mayoral Candidate, Mary Phadi, at the ActionSA Nkangala District Mayoral Candidate Announcement and Welcoming of New Members event.
Fellow South Africans, residents of Nkangala District, leaders of ActionSA, and the people who have waited far too long for change.
Sanibonani Bantfu baseNkangala.
Thobela setshaba sa Nkangala.
Today, we are not here for ceremony. We are not here for empty promises. We are here to tell the truth. Because for too long, the people of Nkangala have been told to be patient while your reality gets worse. And the truth is simple: Nkangala is in crisis.
Across this district, communities are suffering. Residents open their taps, and nothing comes out. Roads are collapsing. Electricity fails without warning. Sewage flows through streets. Young people sit without jobs, without opportunity, without hope.
Loku akusikahle.
Seemo se ga se sa amogelega.
The truth is, we are not guessing what is wrong. We have been told. And when residents demand answers, they are ignored. But here is the most painful truth of all: this crisis is not new. Five years ago, the Auditor-General warned that municipalities in Nkangala were failing. Five years later, those warnings remain exactly the same. The same audit failures. The same governance collapse. The same service delivery failures. Nothing has changed.
Fellow residents, this failure is not accidental. It is the direct result of corruption, incompetence, and a government that has stopped caring.
We see it across Nkangala. In Emalahleni, where the Auditor-General has repeatedly flagged revenue collection failures and rising debt, while communities still struggle with unreliable water and electricity. In Steve Tshwete, where supply chain weaknesses and financial mismanagement are delaying critical infrastructure and service delivery.
In Dr JS Moroka, where poor revenue collection and weak financial controls are undermining the municipality’s ability to deliver consistent basic services. In Thembisile Hani, where ongoing water infrastructure failures continue to leave households without reliable access to water.
In Victor Khanye, where governance instability and weak financial management have resulted in deteriorating infrastructure and slow service delivery. In Emakhazeni, where years of financial distress and poor audit outcomes have translated into persistent service delivery backlogs. And in the Nkangala District Municipality, where clean audits have not translated into meaningful support for struggling local municipalities on the ground.
This is not mismanagement. This is collapse.
But while government fails, the people of Nkangala have been clear. Through public engagements, through protests, through every platform available, residents have spoken. They are not asking for miracles. They are asking for water, roads, electricity, housing, and dignity. And today, they are still asking for the exact same things they asked for five years ago.
Fellow residents, we must be honest: governance failure has become service delivery failure. When money is stolen, services collapse. When leaders are unqualified, infrastructure fails. When there is no accountability, nothing gets fixed. This is the reality in Nkangala today.
But I stand before you today to say: it does not have to be this way. Nkangala can work again. But only if we change how government works.
Ngobe sekenele.
Go lekane.
Because Nkangala does not have a resource problem. Nkangala has a leadership problem.
That is why today we are not launching empty promises. We are not here to describe problems. We are here to fix them. And we are presenting a clear plan of action.
A plan built on five priorities:
First, fix service delivery. We will restore water, electricity, roads and sanitation. But more than that, we will fix how infrastructure is managed. We will prioritise maintenance before expansion. We will deploy rapid-response teams to fix breakdowns quickly. And we will appoint qualified technical professionals to run our utilities. Because no community should live without basic services.
Second, build a city that delivers dignity for all. We will ensure that no community is left behind. We will prioritise water, sanitation, electrification and street lighting in informal settlements. We will accelerate housing delivery and release well-located land. We will fix roads, refuse removal and public spaces across Nkangala. And we will make sure residents can see exactly how their money is being spent. Because dignity must not depend on where you live.
Third, drive jobs, investment and economic revival. We will unlock Nkangala’s economic potential. We will restore investor confidence by fixing services and stabilising municipalities. We will cut red tape and make it easier to do business. We will support small businesses and informal traders. And we will ensure infrastructure projects create jobs for local people, especially the youth. Because growth must create opportunity.
Fourth, zero tolerance for corruption. Corruption will no longer be tolerated. We will establish independent forensic investigation units, conduct lifestyle audits, publish all tenders and contracts, blacklist corrupt contractors and recover stolen funds, and protect whistleblowers. Because corruption is not a side issue, it is the reason services are failing.
Fifth, fix municipal finances. We will stabilise municipalities and restore financial discipline. We will implement funded budgets and strict financial controls. We will fix billing systems and improve revenue collection. We will stabilise debt and ensure money is spent on services. And we will eliminate waste and mismanagement. Because without financial stability there can be no service delivery.
Fellow residents, the choice in 2026 is simple: more of the same or real change. More failure or a government that works. More excuses or ActionSA.
The people of Nkangala have spoken. And what they are saying is clear: government is failing them. Today, we say: ActionSA is ready to fix it.
This is our moment to rebuild Nkangala. Join us. Stand with us. Vote for ActionSA. Let us restore dignity, rebuild our communities, and fix Nkangala together. Siyakwenta ndawonye.
Mpumalanga, as a Provincial Campaigner Siyakhuphuka. We will be visiting all regions across the province. In May alone, we will launch 50 branches in the Gert Sibande District, add a further 22 branches in Nkangala, and expand to 40 branches in Ehlanzeni. We are in a race against time, as the Local Government Elections will soon be announced.
Thank you.
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