Johannesburg – Reverend Chris Mathebula of Hope Restoration Ministries in Kempton Park has been named as the Independent Citizen Movement’s (ICM) mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni ahead of the 2021 local government elections.
Mathebula said he was not surprised about being chosen as the movement’s candidate.
“My experience speaks for itself”, he said further explaining that he was born and bred in Tembisa, started his church in Tembisa, and got married in Tembisa.
Mathebula says, “For many years, I have been in a bus seated at the backseat hoping the drunk driver takes us into our destiny, and unfortunately, he is drunk because of corruption and selfish ambitions”.
He explained to Sunday World that the drunk driver is whoever who has been in power for the past couple of years and that he is not one to mention names, “I am not that type of a person, the corrupt ones know themselves”.
Mathebula says the ICM comprises qualified leadership devoted to the people of Ekurhuleni.
He added that they aim to give power back to the people.
“Our people are not asking for many things, they are only asking for service delivery”, he said.
Mathebula also explained that the city of Ekurhuleni has approximately 800 000 to a million people living in informal settlements with endless service delivery woes.
He further explained that the ‘drunk driver’ has made endless empty promises to the people of Ekurhuleni and has not delivered because they are drunk by corruption.
“We want to enforce ethical leadership because we have been running short of ethical leaders. We are leaders of integrity, leaders who are accountable to their people and use resources accordingly, not for our pockets and stomachs.
“We are not making any promises, but we are making commitments,” he explained.
Mathebula said it was mid-June during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when he decided to step into the responsibility of serving the people outside of the Gospel.
“When I looked at the country and the lives of the people suffering, being the minister of the Gospel, working with people daily, I figured I needed to step in and make a difference,” he said.
The reverend explained that he is not a politician, he is just a “devoted citizen”.
As a result, his political career has and will not distract him in his ministry.
He says a good leader does not have to be a jack of all trades, he has a team of qualified individuals keeping the ministry afloat, this team includes his wife Phindi Mathebula.
Mathebula said there have been critics reaching out to him with concerns about his venture into politics as a reverend of the church.
He also said although some may have criticised his decision to join the movement, the “95 percent” of the people that support him is enough to push the mandate and help the people of Ekurhuleni better their lives.
“I respect all of them, abangi xhasayo nabangangi xhasi [those who support me and those who don’t], it is good for people to differ in ideas,” he explained.
Reverend Mathebula is a man known not only for his work in the ministry, however, he is also known for his passion to empower and groom young men. He said he plans to grow his influence reach during his tenure as mayor of Ekurhuleni should he be elected.
“I will extend the room and make it bigger to influence more people to better their lives, these are the things I’ve always been passionate about,” he said.
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