Kwena Mangope, the ActionSA premier candidate in the North West, is ready to take over the reins in the province despite not being involved in politics during his father’s tenure.
The son of Lucas Mangope, the late leader of the Bantustan homeland of Bophuthatswana, was speaking on Monday at his Motswedi village home outside Zeerust.
He visited two voting stations to see if everything was proceeding as planned.
When asked if he would use his father’s leadership style, he answered: “My father valued quality. He would say nothing sophisticated but dignified. These are the basics that I have learned from him.”
Coalitions a reality of the future
A former soldier and chief of the Bahurutshe Boo Manyane said the North West does not need a coalition government.
“Coalitions are the reality of the future, but I do not think of a coalition in the North West. I am thinking of us as ActionSA taking over without having to be in a coalition,” he said.
Mangope said he is calculative about his promises.
“I plan to take full control of the North West, but I’m not blind to the fact that the reality is that we are headed towards coalitions going forward, but let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.
“I am not talking about two or three seats; I am talking about taking over. The leadership of this province has failed us over the years.”
He said his father wanted to give people quality infrastructure. “He made sure that when he built infrastructure, it was proper and well-deserving of the people. He wanted skilled people.”
He said he has joined politics because he enjoys it. “It’s about service one can render from a different perspective; politics is also a service.
“I’m conscious of the attacks I might be getting, but that’s a contribution that one can make. What makes me sleep well at night is when my message resonates with people I interact with.
The United Christian Democratic Party, founded by his late father following the disintegration of his homeland in 1994, is one of the political parties competing in elections in the North West.
List of priorities
Law and order top Mangope’s to-do list of priorities if he gets elected to power. He stated that fighting crime is his top priority, noting that crime in the province has ballooned
“Where there is no law and order, nothing becomes all right. For that to happen, our police must be well-equipped with resources so that they can do the job that they are hired to do, which is to protect the nation and make sure that people are safe,” he said.
Second on his list is a skills audit.
“It will take time, but it is a must that we do that to check if the people who are hired for crucial positions at municipalities have the skills and experience.
“The reason why the municipalities are not working is because those crucial skills were overlooked. That is why there are no services.”
Emerging farmers and small businesses will also get a boost from Mangope if he becomes premier.
“Agriculture is one of the things that can make sure that there is food security. Emerging farmers and small businesses are in dire need of government help.
“There must be an opportunity fund for them.”
He added that he would also help to create jobs. Mangope, however, bemoaned that he is not satisfied with how his party has campaigned.
He explained: “We can never campaign enough because there are issues that emerge whenever we are on a campaign trail.
“I would not say I am satisfied; I would say I am grateful for the opportunity to have interacted with as many people in our province as possible.”
