Former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has formally launched “The People’s Dialogue,” a political engagement platform for South Africans.
In a video posted on his social media pages on Friday, Mashaba said the platform is aimed at starting “an engagement with South Africans about forging a better future for our country.”
He invited South Africans to share their views on critical issues affecting the country on his website – thepeoplesdialogue.org.za/.
‘1994 did not bring more opportunities’
The ex-Mayor said after succeeding in business in the 1980s, he thought the 1994 democratic breakthrough would bring more opportunities.
He added, “But this did not happen because our South African people are being held back by politicians and political parties that seem to exist only for their narrow self-interest.”
Mashaba said the level of corruption he witnessed as Mayor of Johannesburg “shows me that politics is rotten to the core.”
He said he started the platform because he is “tired” of the failure of corrupt politicians, adding that listening to South Africans is the first step as he explores “the next steps that need to be taken to change our country.”
‘Our political system is broken’
In a series of other tweets, Mashaba added, “I believe in South Africa and South Africans. I will not give up and neither must you. This week’s chaos shows that SA needs real solutions – not politics as usual.
“Our political system is broken, but, South Africa is full of potential. We want to believe, we want hope for a better future and we, the people, know what needs to be done to fix our country.
“If we rely on our political parties for solutions, we will never succeed. This is why I believe in a people-driven engagement, focusing on turning South Africa around. #SASpeaks.”
Mashaba resigned as Mayor and from his former party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), in November. Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane followed suit.
The two leaders met last week and hinted at starting a “conversation.” Maimane tweeted, “Our nation must engage in conversation, charter a dialogue about the future.
“Together as a nation, we can and must build a future for all. Join the conversation.”