Eight Political Voices, But No Clear Answer for Matatiele

The Informer Digital TV hosted its first political debate last Friday, bringing together representatives of eight political parties and an independent candidate to present their manifestos and explain how they intend to serve the people of Matatiele.
The debate was an opportunity for political representatives to speak directly to voters and answer a fundamental question: Why should the people of Matatiele vote for you?
We also put that question to members of the participating political parties who attended the debate, as well as viewers following the proceedings. Predictably, those attending in support of their respective parties backed their own representatives.
But looking at the debate objectively, I was left unconvinced by all the representatives on the panel.
This is not about which political party one supports. It is about whether those seeking the responsibility of running a municipality can convince voters that they understand the problems facing the community and, more importantly, have credible plans to solve them.
Unfortunately, that was largely missing from the debate.
ANC: Looking Back Instead of Looking Forward
The first representative to take the stage was ANC representative Patrick Stuurman, the current Mayor of Matatiele.
Instead of using the platform to explain what the ANC intends to do after the upcoming elections, Stuurman largely read from a document outlining what the municipality has done so far.
The question facing voters, however, is not simply what has already been done. It is what happens next?
When asked whether he was satisfied with the way the municipality is currently being run,he said yes. Stuurman disagreed with the suggestion that residents continue to experience problems with service delivery.
That response was difficult to reconcile with the concerns that continue to be raised by residents.
As the incumbent mayor, Stuurman had an opportunity to present a convincing case for why voters should give the ANC another mandate. In my view, he failed to do so.
Independent Candidate: Limited Promises
The independent candidate was perhaps the most honest about his position.
Having never served in a democratic council, he acknowledged that he could not promise voters everything. Instead, he committed himself to fighting for the interests of Ward 19 and working with other parties to achieve what is needed in the ward.
That may be a realistic position, but it left voters with questions about exactly what he would do differently once inside the council.
EFF: More About the Mayor Than the Manifesto
The EFF representative, Babalwa Mathulela, did not use the debate to adequately explain the party’s seven cardinal pillars to voters.
Instead, much of her presentation focused on the Mayor and allegations concerning service-delivery matters that she said had not been signed off.
The EFF had an opportunity to tell Matatiele residents what its vision for the municipality would be and how its policies would translate into better services. That opportunity was largely lost in the political confrontation.
MKP: Reading From a Piece of Paper
The MK Party representative, Mgingqi, also struggled to demonstrate ownership of the party’s programme.
At one point, he read from a piece of paper that had apparently been given to him by a fellow party member in the audience.
That raised a basic question: Does the representative understand the policies he is presenting, or is he simply reading what someone else has prepared?
Political representatives cannot expect voters to trust them with the running of a municipality if they cannot confidently explain their own party’s programme.
Ekhethu People’s Party: Confusion About Municipal Powers
The Ekhethu People’s Party representative also raised concerns about his understanding of local government.
He spoke about changing municipal by-laws once inside the council, but appeared to confuse by-laws with the code of conduct governing councillors.
He also spoke about education and health, despite these not being core municipal functions.
There was also a reference to what he described as “Satanic laws” allegedly signed by the ANC.
For voters, however, the important question remains: What will Ekhethu actually do within the powers and responsibilities of a municipality to improve the lives of Matatiele residents?
That question was not adequately answered.
DA: Strong Criticism, But Where Is the Local Plan?
The DA representative, Wonga Potwana, was visibly passionate during the debate and focused heavily on the Mayor and money allegedly lost by the municipality.
He also pointed to what the DA has achieved in the Western Cape as evidence of what the party can do.
But Matatiele voters need more than a comparison with the Western Cape.
They need to know what the DA would do here, within Matatiele’s unique circumstances, challenges and financial realities.
A political party cannot simply point to another province and expect voters to regard that as a sufficient local plan.
ATM: A Hall Is Not Enough
The ATM representative, Tsepo Letsie, pointed to the construction of a hall for the people of Sibi as an achievement by his party, despite the party not being the leading force in the council.
He also argued that ATM had been limited by its smaller numbers in council, even when its representatives raised concerns.
That may explain some of the party’s challenges, but voters still need to know what ATM intends to achieve if given greater representation after the elections.
SACP: Speaking to Voters Matters
The SACP representative, Mdutyana, was articulate and confident in his discussion of capitalism.
However, political communication is not only about being able to speak well. It is about being understood by the people you are asking to vote for you.
Matatiele is a multilingual community, with many residents speaking isiXhosa and Sesotho. A representative must therefore be able to communicate political ideas in a way that ordinary voters can understand.
Speaking about capitalism without connecting the discussion to the everyday problems of Matatiele residents left the presentation disconnected from the central question of the debate.
The Question Nobody Properly Answered
After listening to all the representatives, one question remained unanswered:
How will you deliver quality services to the people of Matatiele?
This is not a complicated question.
Residents have complained about service delivery for years. They want functioning infrastructure, reliable basic services, accountable leadership, clean communities, proper municipal administration and councillors who understand their responsibilities.
They want to know what political parties will do differently.
They want measurable commitments.
They want timelines.