CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — With the November 4, 2026, local government elections just days away, the United South Africa (USA) party is making a decisive push on the Cape Flats, contesting 23 wards within the metro. Positioning itself as an activist organization dedicated to grassroots upliftment, the party aims to serve as a political platform for communities and individuals who have fallen through the cracks of the current governing system.
Operating entirely on self-funding, the party is contesting the 2026 local elections on the back of its established track record of assisting vulnerable demographics, particularly the youth and the elderly.
A People-Centered, Pro-Poor Campaign
The party’s headquarters is located in the heart of the community it intends to serve. The facility functions as a central election hub, a training center for its activists, and a community help desk where residents can seek assistance with basic daily needs. From this location, the party drives its people-centered, pro-poor campaign.
Mayoral candidate Riyad Isaac, who brings a background as a shop steward with a strong understanding of policy and law, emphasized that the party’s grassroots work includes assisting pensioners with serious issues such as debt relief.
Isaac outlined his vision for municipal governance, focusing on practical, human-centric policy adjustments.
“Getting into council, what I hope to do is to look at the various policies that are in place with a mindset of how do I help the next person out in order to get them out of the rut that they are currently faced,” Isaac said. “Now it is not something that they are there by their own choice, but it is by design. So at the end of the day, when we speak to people, irrespective as to whether you are black, coloured, white, or Indian, it’s neither here nor there. The bottom line is when we speak and when we engage with people, we see the individual, we see a human being.”
Prioritizing Education and Youth Upliftment
Beyond immediate welfare, youth upliftment, training, and education remain top priorities for the party. The leadership believes that shifting the narrative of poverty on the Cape Flats requires a transition toward genuine people empowerment.
Highlighting the need for self-reliance, a party representative noted that while welfare has become the default, mismanagement of these systems requires citizens to look toward self-empowerment.
“We are looking at education [as a] very, very strong pillar for United South Africa,” the representative explained. “We are here to help our people get over the next hurdle, but primarily be the stepping stones to build for the next generation of leaders to take over very soon. When you start an organization, you should have your successor in mind. Bring them up with you so that you can move up; otherwise, we stagnate or we go back.”
The representative urged voters to look at the party’s existing impact, asking, “Vote for United South Africa on the 4th of November 2026 and see the difference that we have already been making without having been in council or government. How much more can we not do when we are in council and in government?”
Born from Community Disillusionment
The formation of the United South Africa party stems from the political disillusionment of its members, many of whom were previously active in other political organizations. The party was established based on the leadership’s direct knowledge of what communities truly need to effect tangible, lasting change.
Summarizing the party’s core ethos as the 2026 elections approach, another party spokesperson stated: “When United South Africa says that we are for the people, we mean progress over promises, action over words, and community first. So on the 4th of November, vote United South Africa.”
