While Others Promise to Fight Crime and Drugs, I Am Already Doing It

While other politicians are only now discovering the scourge of drugs on the campaign trail, I have spent years on the frontlines fighting it.

Through my work across South Africa with Sizok’thola, I have entered drug dens that government has ignored, confronted drug lords who operate with impunity, and stood with communities from Soshanguve to Eldorado Park, from Ekurhuleni to Durban as they reclaimed their streets. 

My work has involved helping mothers and fathers to get their children into rehabilitation, worked with law enforcement when they were willing to act, and exposed the direct link between drugs, human trafficking and organised crime. This work has come at a cost, but it has produced results. 

My track record includes shutting down dozens of drug houses that were destroying our communities, assisted in the arrest of dealers who were poisoning our youth, rescued young people trapped in addiction and taken them directly to rehabilitation, and empowered residents with the knowledge to identify, report and resist syndicates.

On the ground, I have marched with residents against drug lords, educated learners in schools about the dangers of nyaope, crystal meth and other drugs, and given a voice to families who were told to suffer in silence. This is not talk. It is a track record written in the streets of this country. 

The enemies of this work have tried everything to silence me. When they could not stop communities from rising, they tried to stop me with handcuffs.

They arrested me, paraded me like a criminal, and made it clear they want to see me in a jail cell not because I broke the law, but because I dared to enforce it where they failed. They want to scare me into silence.

They have failed. No cell will stop me. No charge will break me. I do not fight for myself I fight for the children of this country. That is why today I am making a commitment to the people of Ekurhuleni, that I am bringing all of that energy, all of that experience, and all of that fearlessness to City Hall. 

The fight I led with a camera crew and community volunteers, I will now lead with the full resources of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Under my administration, I will capacitate the newly established EMPD Narcotics Unit to become the most effective anti-drug unit in the country clean, resourced, and driven by community intelligence.

Ekurhuleni does not need another mayor who makes promises. Ekurhuleni needs a fighter who has already proven he will show up. I have shown up for South Africa. Now I am ready to show up for Ekurhuleni as your Mayor.

ActionSA Athol Trollip: Former DA heavyweight, now a key ActionSA leader in the Eastern Cape.