As Local Government elections near, with about 4 months to go (November 4), the race for ward candidates to represent Ward 61, (Laudium, Erasmia, Itireleng and Gerhardsville ) in the Tshwane Council has started heating up.
The next few months will, as in the past, once more see a string of top politicians flocking into the Ward, again making wild promises to potential voters, only to woo their votes and then again forgetting the voter and the promises, once elections have passed. While the present ANC Ward Councillor, Naeem Patel has shown interest to stand again under the banner of the seemingly corrupt ANC, the DA seems to be battling to get a suitable candidate living and active in community work within the area. It is still not certain who the candidates for the EFF and the MK party will be. Local resident and present PR Councillor for ActionSA, Prajay Ramjee, has reportedly shown interest in contesting the Ward Councillor seat again, on behalf of ActionSA. The heat however seems to be between the ANC and the Al Jama-ah Muslim inspired political party, with Cllr Patel seemingly nervous and making all efforts, trying his best that they do not field a candidate for the Ward Councillor post.
Jam-ah does not field a local for the Ward Councillor position. It is believed that Patel’s team is using the religious card, saying that if Al Jama-ah fielded a Ward Candidate, it would split the important Muslim vote.
The Laudium Sun understands that one of Patel’s key confidantes and ANC supporter, Abdul Kader Kurta (KK), who was handpicked by Patel to serve in his Ward Committee Finance Portfolio, has been tasked to persuade Al Jam-ah not to field a Ward Candidate. KK known to be a ‘tabla’ player has seemingly been showing support for Al Jama-ah and has even offered to donate T-shirts and other material for their election campaign, despite offering full support for Naeem and the ANC. Patel has personally also approached residents serving on Islamic organisations who he believed were considering standing for Al Jama-ah, persuading them not to stand against him, indicating that they would split the Muslim vote. A local resident who is involved in a well-known religious organisation, told the
Laudium Sun, “I was approached by Naeem Patel, who told me that he heard that I was going to stand for Al Jam-ah as their Ward Candidate for the Laudium ward area. I was surprised and I told Naeem that it was not true and in fact I had not even been approached by anyone from Al Jam-ah. Naeem then told me that it would be sad if Al Jam-ah contested the Ward Councillor seat in the Laudium ward, indicating that it would definitely split the Muslim vote.”
The Laudium Sun approached a senior member of Al-Jama-ah who denied that there was a pact with Naeem Patel or the ANC not to contest the Ward Councillor’s position. However the member said that Al Jam-ah was finding it difficult to identify a well known local resident willing to stand for the party as a Ward Councillor, but that they had a local resident to be added on the PR list of the party. When asked if Al Jam-ah had a branch in Laudium and surrounds, the member refused to answer and said that Al Jam-ah would forward a formal response concerning the fielding of a candidate for the Ward Councillor’s position in Ward 61.
Al Jam-ah Tshwane Branch Chair, Mamadu Mpho Kgomosotho, told the Laudium Sun,
1. We are currently finalising our list process and have identified 5 candidates and we are still interviewing them to find a suitable candidate.
2. It’s of quite critical importance for the organisation to address an array of all critical issues in Laudium.
3. Currently the organisation is taking the issues of Laudium very serious and wants to engage before and after the elections.
4. The Chairperson of the organisation in Gauteng Mpho Kgomosotho is busy facilitating engagement with various structures in Laudium to find amicable solutions.
5. In his recent statement the Chairperson has indicated that Laudium Community is one of the most important communities in Gauteng.
6. It’s quite clear that Al Jam-ah is intending to win over most of the voters in the on coming 2026 Local Government Elections.
7. Al Jam-ah is quite confident of its support from the Laudium Community and the trust that they have placed upon the organisation.
8. In his clarion call he has indicated that he intends to meet with all stakeholders in order that they table all their issues that they think the organisation must take to Council.”