Launch Speech- Nontsikelelo “Ntsiki” Mazwai for Mayor of Johannesburg

Launch Speech: Nontsikelelo “Ntsiki” Mazwai for Mayor of Johannesburg

Fellow Johannesburg residents, distinguished guests, Chief Leader of the Land Party Comrade Gcobani Ndzongana, fellow Landers, comrades, and members of the media. I am Nontsikelelo Mazwai, affectionately known as Ntsiki. Born in Soweto and raised in the City of Johannesburg, I carry in my heart the story of this city, its painful history of repression, its days of glory, and the difficult chapter it is living through right now.

Like so many of you, I have watched with deep pain as those we entrusted with the care of our city allowed it to fall into neglect and lawlessness. Johannesburg, once a beacon of promise, has been left looking like too many broken cities across our continent. Today I refuse to remain an armchair critic. I have decided to act.

That is why I have joined the Land Party, the only political home with a consistent track record of fighting for the poor, the destitute, the working class, and ordinary South Africans. It is the party with pragmatic policies that speak directly to the daily struggles of our people: the exclusion of South Africans from the labour market, the crime and lawlessness that turn our streets into no-go zones after 6 p.m., the tragic killing of active citizens such as DJ Warras and many others who tried to reclaim this city, and the crisis of undocumented immigration that continues to strain our communities.

Today I raise my hand, not only to be counted, but to offer my hand to every resident who loves Johannesburg. I come before you as your daughter, your sister, and your comrade. I am asking you to take my hand so that together we turn the rebuilding of our city into a collective mission. I am asking you to join me as volunteers in building a Johannesburg that truly belongs to all of us.

This is the Johannesburg I want, the Johannesburg I am fighting for:

1. I want a Johannesburg with a transparent Service Delivery Tracker so that every resident can see exactly what is being done and when it will be completed.

2. I want Alexandra redeveloped block by block, dignified housing, proper services, and restored pride for one of our oldest communities.

3. I want a city that is open to responsible outside investment while putting South Africans first. 4.I want a 24/7 city that works for everyone, residents, workers, and businesses.

5. I want a Johannesburg with a 90% South African labour market and only 10% foreign labour, withreal incentives for businesses that hire and train local people.

6. I want a city with no potholes, proper roads, and infrastructure that works.

7. I want a Johannesburg that is safe for every citizen and every business, day and night.

8. I want a clean city that creates jobs for school pupils during holidays and gives our young people a stake in their future.

9. I want reliable, free public transport in the morning and evening for communities that are far from the city centre, so that no one is left behind.

10. I want a two-year rate break for ratepayers until they can clearly see and feel the improvement in service delivery.

11. I want solar energy solutions rolled out as relief for families who can no longer afford electricity from the city.

12. I want new businesses to receive free electricity and water for the first two years so they can establish themselves, create jobs, and then contribute fairly.

13. I want Johannesburg to once again be a world-class destination where people from across the globe meet, trade, and do business, supported by top-class logistics infrastructure, foreign investment, and cutting-edge technology.

14. I want a technologically advanced city that is clean, safe, and prosperous, a city that can proudly compete with the best in the world, from Shanghai to Moscow.

This is the Johannesburg I want. A city with a shared future. A city that works for the rich and the poor, for the established and the newcomer, for every person who calls Jozi home. I am not asking you to trust another politician. I am asking you to walk with me. Join me as volunteers. Let us rebuild this city together, street by street, community by community, block by block.

To the media present here today, thank you for attending this launch and media briefing. To my party, the Land Party, and its leadership, especially Chief Leader Comrade Gcobani Ndzongana, thank you for your trust, your guidance, and your unwavering commitment to the people. Fellow Johannesburg residents, the time has come. Let us rise together and build the Johannesburg we all deserve, a clean, safe, prosperous, and inclusive city with a shared future for every one of us. The new Jozi starts now. Let us build it together.

Thank you. God bless Johannesburg.

God bless South Africa.