JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — Just weeks before the November 4 local government elections, RISE Mzansi has officially unveiled its Governance Plan for Johannesburg, presenting a detailed blueprint aimed at transforming the metro into a safe, clean, and prosperous city. The launch marks a critical milestone for the political newcomer as it seeks to woo voters and outline its strategy for local governance and coalition-building.
Lukhona Mnguni, the party’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, introduced the plan by emphasizing the urgent need for a stable government and the eradication of criminality. He highlighted a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, and intelligence-led approach to root out the conflicts of interest between politicians, administrators, and service providers. A key pillar of the strategy involves bringing outsourced service delivery entities back under direct city administration to ensure strict accountability within the city’s political and administrative leadership.
To address the city’s infrastructure challenges, Mnguni also announced the Johannesburg Urban Infrastructure Capital Platform. This initiative aims to mobilize private sector and pension fund capital—leveraging recent amendments to Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act—without privatizing city assets. The party has set a target to raise 70 billion ZAR over a five-year term, which would address a third of the city’s current 220 billion ZAR infrastructure backlog. Mnguni noted that the broader job turnaround plan is a 10- to 15-year project, adding that residents will also have the opportunity to become investors in the vehicle.
Makashule Gana, RISE Mzansi’s Chief Organizer and Member of Parliament, provided context on the party’s broader electoral footprint and coalition strategy. Founded three years ago, RISE Mzansi first contested the 2024 national elections, securing just below 1% of the vote and two National Assembly seats, making it the 11th largest of the 18 parties represented in the assembly.
For the upcoming 2026 local elections, the party is contesting seven municipalities, including major metros like Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and Buffalo City. Through a strategic partnership with the Good Party—which will exclusively contest municipalities in the Western Cape—RISE Mzansi is collectively contesting 35 municipalities nationwide.
Addressing the highly fragmented political landscape, Gana acknowledged that no single party is likely to secure an outright winner in the major metros. Instead of viewing this as a defeat, he framed it as a realistic opportunity to establish “adults in the room.” Gana stressed that RISE Mzansi will draft a pre-election coalition agreement to ensure credible leadership, prioritize service delivery, and maintain a strict anti-corruption stance, refusing to partner with any parties “flirting with criminality.”
Beyond the local elections, Gana also provided an update on his national parliamentary duties. As the chairperson of the ad hoc impeachment committee and a key figure in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), he noted that the committee is currently finalizing its terms of reference.
The committee’s work is temporarily pending two Western Cape High Court judgments: one regarding an EFF challenge on the appointment of an evidence leader, and another concerning a review by the President. Following the tabling of the medium-term budget and a 10-day parliamentary recess for election campaigning, the committee is scheduled to meet on November 12 to finalize its mandate. Gana affirmed that despite existing delays, the committee will continue its work and that RISE Mzansi will continue to robustly represent the public interest in Parliament.
