By Lebo Keswa
Like many South Africans, for as long as I have been politically conscious, the ANC was my home. I was not just a voter; I was an active participant in its structures from an early age.
I believed in its vision, its history and its promises. I walked the streets, mobilised communities, defended policies, and even served as a spokesperson as recently as 2019.
I was deeply invested.
But after years of witnessing corruption, broken promises, rising unemployment, and service delivery failures, I reached a turning point.
For the past five years, I have been apolitical, disillusioned, and uninspired. The ANC, once the torchbearer of hope, became a shadow of its former self.
I watched helplessly as it prioritised personal enrichment over public service. I saw how, at every election cycle, people were lured with food parcels, KFC, and empty rhetoric, only to be abandoned once votes were secured.
We deserve better.
This is why the recent work of Tshwane executive mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, under ActionSA’s coalition governance, has caught my attention.
Against all odds, despite political sabotage, budget constraints, and attempts to derail service delivery, she is making a real difference.
Running a metro as complex as Tshwane is no small feat.
The municipality has faced sabotage from within, deliberate inefficiencies left behind by previous administrations, and a budget that barely allows for critical interventions.
Yet, under this administration, we are seeing progress — real, tangible progress.
From fixing financial mismanagement to addressing service delivery backlogs, the ActionSA-led administration has stepped in where others have failed.
Unlike the ANC, which has often treated municipalities as cash cows for cadres and comrades, this leadership understands that a city’s lifeblood is in how well its services function.
People don’t need political slogans; they need clean water, electricity, proper roads, and effective waste management.
And that is exactly what we are beginning to see in Taiwan.
For the first time in a long while, I sat down to read a political party manifesto. I expected the usual empty promises, but what I found was something different.
ActionSA speaks of accountability, consequence management, and ethical leadership, words that have become foreign in ANC-led municipalities.
I was particularly struck by their stance on:
• Service delivery: Unlike the ANC, which often promises but seldom delivers, ActionSA is implementing clear service delivery strategies, focusing on infrastructure and urban management, and we are watching them doing ground work and implementing on a daily basis
• Corruption: Instead of recycling corrupt leaders from one department to another, ActionSA is taking a hard stance on mismanagement and ensuring
accountability.
• Economic growth: Rather than relying on bloated government employment, ActionSA is working to create a business-friendly environment that can drive job creation.
These are the things that matter. These are the things that should determine our votes. Not who hands out free food during elections but who ensures people can afford their food every day.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” This famous quote by Edward R Murrow could not be more relevant to our country today.
South Africans have allowed themselves to be herded, election after election, by political parties that have no real interest in improving their lives.
We have become a nation that tolerates mediocrity, rewards failure, and turns a blind eye to corruption because of party loyalty.
I was one of those people. I justified failure, made excuses for incompetence, and ignored the red flags. But not anymore.
The ANC has failed us. It’s time for a new path. The ANC of today is not the ANC of Mandela, Tambo, and Sisulu. The ANC that once fought for the people now fights to retain power at all costs.
It has failed at every level of governance, from collapsing municipalities to looting state-owned enterprises. And yet, millions still vote for it, expecting different results.
How many more years of poverty, unemployment, and crime will it take before we realise that we need real change?
I would like to believe, ActionSA represents that change. While no political party is perfect, it is clear that ActionSA is at least trying to do things differently. And in Taiwan, we are seeing the results.
The mayor is not making excuses; she is making drastic changes. Unlike her predecessors, who prioritised tenders and patronage, she is focusing on efficiency, delivery, and governance.
Every day, through her actions, Moya makes my decision more and more easier as to which party to vote for through no talk but actions.
Every South African should pay attention to her. She is leadership, and ActionSA seems to be the solution to this country’s problems!
• Keswa is a businesswoman and a social commentator
