JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has officially entered the race for metropolitan control, unveiling Deputy President Wayne Thring as its eThekwini mayoral candidate. Launching the party’s local government election manifesto in Johannesburg, Thring laid out a rigorous blueprint aimed at dismantling systemic corruption, reversing catastrophic infrastructure decay, and replacing political cadre deployment with strict meritocracy.
Central to the ACDP’s municipal strategy is a direct confrontation with eThekwini’s financial mismanagement. Thring highlighted a staggering R4.6 billion in irregular expenditure within the metro—a figure he notes represents approximately 57% of KwaZulu-Natal’s total municipal irregular spending.
While municipal officials frequently attribute these breaches to administrative non-compliance with the Supply Chain Management Act, Systems Act, Structures Act, and the MFMA rather than outright theft, Thring insists that bypassing legislation designed to protect taxpayer money demands strict accountability. Citing data from the Auditor General, the eThekwini mayoral candidate pledged to initiate an independent forensic audit if elected, promising that “no stone will be left unturned” in the pursuit of fruitless, wasteful, and irregular spending.
The ‘Jethro Principle’ vs. Cadre Deployment
To rescue municipalities from systemic collapse, the ACDP is advocating for the biblical “Jethro principle”—the selection of capable, trustworthy men and women who hate dishonest gain. Thring argued that the ruling party’s policy of cadre deployment has placed individuals unfit for purpose into critical roles, noting that a municipal manager unable to read a basic income and expenditure ledger leaves a city vulnerable to abuse.
Contrasting this with the ACDP’s track record, Thring pointed to former Auditor General Kimi Makwetu’s validation that the party’s leaders have never been caught with “brown envelopes” or involved in financial scandals. He also cited tangible coalition successes, including saving the City of Tshwane R2 billion and the work of Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Lance Grootboom, who earned national accolades for transforming municipal rubbish dumps into green playing fields for children.
Currently holding only two to three councillors in eThekwini—a footprint maintained during Thring’s previous tenures from 2000 to 2013 and 2014 to 2019 without coalition agreements—the party is now targeting a minimum of 10 to 15 seats to gain the legislative levers necessary to enforce service delivery.
Rescuing Water and Power Grids
Moving beyond anti-corruption rhetoric, Thring outlined measurable, technical targets for eThekwini’s crumbling infrastructure. The metro currently loses an estimated 60% of its water to burst pipes, leaks, and theft before it ever reaches residential taps—a severe worsening from the 40% loss recorded during Thring’s earlier time as a councillor.
To fix this, the ACDP commits to hiring properly qualified water engineers, plumbers, and technicians. Crucially, Thring emphasized the need for competent electricians who understand the technical requirements of pump stations, including the exact locations of backup generators to keep water flowing during power outages.
Furthermore, addressing decades of neglected electrical infrastructure and the realities of load reduction, the party plans to strictly ring-fence capital expenditure budgets. This financial mechanism will ensure that funds allocated for water and electricity maintenance are spent exclusively on keeping the lights on and the taps running, rather than being diverted to other municipal departments.
The Faith-Based Voter Paradox
Addressing the historical anomaly of the ACDP holding less than 1% of the national vote despite roughly 80% of South Africans identifying as Christians, Thring pointed to two primary historical barriers. The first was the era of floor-crossing legislation, which ended in 2009 and historically stunted smaller parties. The second stems from apartheid-era church doctrines that strictly separated faith from political involvement, with some churches still threatening to strip members of leadership roles if they enter politics.
However, Thring believes a paradigm shift is underway. As faith-based communities grow disillusioned with other political factions, he notes that “the lights are finally coming on,” prompting congregations to return to the ACDP’s foundational values.
A Serious Bid to Govern
With the November 4 local government elections approaching, Thring firmly dismissed suggestions that his candidacy is merely a strategic vehicle to gain coalition leverage or secure a Mayoral Committee (MMC) position. Instead, he positioned the ACDP as a party with a genuine vision to govern.
Rooted in a Judeo-Christian worldview, the party’s governance model relies on universal principles of righteousness, justice, honesty, transparency, and accountability. According to Thring, these are not exclusive religious tenets, but eternal values applicable to residents of all faiths and walks of life, forming the bedrock of the ACDP’s promise to restore ethical, competent leadership to South Africa’s major metros.
