One SA chief activist and leader Mmusi Maimane says corruption and awarding of tenders to individuals who have government connections must be nipped in the bud or the poor will continue to suffer. 

On Sunday Maimane urged South Africans to depoliticise local governments by voting for independent candidates on November 1.

“Public funds are not a laughing matter. People go to bed hungry, people have had businesses shut down during the pandemic. People are being evicted.

“Every cent spent must be accounted for. Every cent spent must meet all ethical standards, whether it’s a stadium or a gig,” he tweeted on Sunday. 

“There will be nothing left soon if we do not hold those with connections and positions accountable,” he added in a comment.

Maimane condemned the ANC for its perceived corruption after the unveiling of a sports field in the Enoch Mgijima local municipality in the Eastern Cape. The stadium reportedly cost R15m to construct, a price tag many were sceptical about.

“We have seen scandal after scandal. While citizens lie at home unemployed, politicians have been enriching themselves. While we are trying to comply with the rule of law, politicians have been breaking the law.

“The Royal Bhaca scandal, the stealing of the Covid-19 fund and, ultimately, the most scandalous of the lot in many ways that has epitomised what this government has come to be when they built what looks like a chicken shed and spent R15m,” Maimane lashed out at the government on the platform.

He urged voters to consider independent candidates who are part of the communities they are contesting as this will ensure easy access to leaders and accountability.