THE new Independent Alliance (IA) is ready to take on big political parties in the next local government elections.
The party was officially launched on Sunday, 22 August in KwaDukuza, northern KZN by five former ANC members who were independent candidates during the 2016 elections.
They said after Commie Nhleko and Khonzile Madlala contested and won two wards in KwaDukuza Municipality, they decided to regroup.
They formed a political party in 2019, and officially registered it with the IEC this year.
Party leader Nhleko, an independent councillor in KwaDukuza, told Daily Sun their party was registered nationally but for now, it would focus on iLembe District Municipality in KZN.
“We are looking at our financial capacity and don’t want to end up overcrowding ourselves in terms of contesting every district.
“We want to grow and contest in iLembe and other municipalities like Mkuze.
“We have 23 confirmed candidates under iLembe, who will contest in the coming elections,” he said.
Nhleko said that as independent candidates, they realised they needed to work together to serve the interests of the people, and were ready for the elections.
“We left the ANC because there was no transparency and the party turned a blind eye to residents’ needs.
“As a former ANC branch chairman, we did everything to tell the party about what people needed, but it did not listen.
“People requested me to be an independent candidate and we won the ward.”
Nhleko said their vision was to uphold and defend the Constitution of South Africa, promote Mzansi’s political will and empower citizens economically.
