SANGOMA Mavusi Gqola from Mfuleni in Cape Town has thrown in the towel when it comes to politics.
He is now back in his indumba to spend more time with his ancestors and on healing clients.
Since he lost the elections last November, Mavusi said he has had time to think about things.
He said politics was a toxic game and he didn’t want to put his life and that of his family at risk anymore.
Mavusi told the SunTeam that from the day he decided to contest as an independent Ward 114 councillor candidate in the November 2021 local government elections, he started receiving death threats over the phone.
He ended up having his R30 000 phone taken by the cops for eight months while they were investigating the threats.
Besides risking his life, Mavusi said politics was expensive.
Between June and November last year, he forked out over R70 000 while campaigning and for his agents on the day of elections.
He didn’t win as the ward was retained by the ANC.
“Politics is a dangerous game and it takes money from your pocket. When you take out money for printing posters, fliers and T-shirts, you must know that it is gone. Don’t expect to get it back,” he said.
Between May and July last year, Mavusi said he received calls from unknown people who threatened to kill him if he didn’t stop politics. Others said he must pay them R20 000 so they would drop their plan to kill him.
“I went into politics, I had my experiences and I will not go back there ever again. It is not worth my life and my money,” he said.
Mavusi, who runs soup kitchens around his kasi, said he would continue with his community programmes. as the election loss doesn’t have any bearing on it. Mavusi who was feeding his kasi for years said he was not doing it to be voted for.
“I didn’t start to take care of people for me to get votes and people know that. I will continue with my projects as there are some poor families that depend on them,” he said.
He also said politics was preventing him from spending time with his ancestors and helping people.
at his indumba. “I was spending most of my time on the road while neglecting my sangoma duties.
“Now I’m back in my indumba and I do not want any distractions,” he said.
A resident, Xola Ndiki(36), said: “Mavusi remains my councillor even if he was not elected because he knows how to address our problems It’s sad that he doesn’t want be in politics anymore but I understand that it s about his life.”
Another resident, Nombeko Lufele (45), said: “I’m glad that he left politics because I feared that they will kill him.”
I’m glad he remains a community leader and continue running a soup kitchen for our kids.”
