Actor Vusi Thanda launches his race for Eastern Cape premiership under the AMC banner

Veteran actor Vusi Thanda has launched his political career by running for premier of the Eastern Cape under the African Movement Congress (AMC). 

Speaking to Sowetan, the 72-year-old said he’s always aspired to become a politician. 

“I’ve been watching from the sidelines and watching leaders who have been there before us who have been doing their jobs but not to the satisfaction of everyone. I realised that they need help and I believe I can help,” he said. 

“I could’ve joined any political party, but I joined the AMC because I had the freedom to choose which party, I wanted to be a part of. I don’t believe that the party agreed to work with me so I can become an ambassador of the party and garner them more votes. I truly believe that they trust me to do a good job,” he emphasised. 

The Emzini Wezinsizwa star refuted claims that his party chose similar colours as the ANC’s to confuse voters. 

“Politics is a race and the tool is simple: you want to win so you have to run. It is not about what you are wearing but about what the spectators see,” he said. 

Should he win, Thanda said that education and substance abuse were some of the societal ills he would tackle first.

“There is a lot of change that has to be done and I’ll start by looking at the economy of the province. People are complaining about foreigners and since there’s not much we can do since they are already here, we will empower people and make plans for them to follow entrepreneurship.

“Another big issue is education, the youth here is too focused on drugs and dagga, and that is worrying. So, we will tackle those issues as well as the issue of unemployment that leads to people abusing alcohol,” he explained. 

While the actor revealed in 2022 that he was struggling financially and asked for donations from the public, he says the public should leave his financial woes in the past and trust him to become premier as he’ll do a good job. 

“I will not deny that I had financial troubles and asked for help from the public a year ago, but that is all in the past and people must not hang on to that. Yes, it happened but now this is happening and I believe I’ll be a good premier for the Eastern Cape,” he said. 

He also believes that his party will emerge victorious in the upcoming elections. 

“The AMC wants to rule the Eastern Cape and we will through hard work. We are going to be around for a long time and there’s nothing anyone can do about that.”