Mayibuye Mayoral Candidate Skeem GP Struggles To Explain How He Would Run Ekurhuleni
Afrika Mayibuye mayoral candidate Themba “Skeem GP” Nzimande struggled to answer questions about his qualifications and plans for Ekurhuleni, insisting he understands the metro’s challenges and is willing to learn.
Themba “Skeem GP” Nzimande, the Afrika Mayibuye Movement’s mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, has defended his candidacy despite struggling to explain how he would manage the troubled metro if elected.
Nzimande, a former cash-in-transit robber who served a prison sentence and later built a career as a broadcaster and podcaster, was announced as the party’s mayoral candidate by its leader, Floyd Shivambu.
His candidacy has drawn criticism, with questions raised about his experience and ability to manage a metropolitan municipality facing financial challenges, allegations of corruption, poor service delivery and political instability.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika anchor Xoli Mngambi on Monday night, Nzimande was asked what qualifications and experience he would bring to the position.
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He responded that he should not be viewed independently of Afrika Mayibuye and its leadership.
“I do not come as Themba Lukhele, but I come as the entity Afrika Mayibuye. I joined Afrika Mayibuye a year ago. I've been in class ever since and I did not lose sight of President Floyd Nyiko Shivambu and the Politburo,” Nzimande said.
He argued that working alongside Shivambu had exposed him to the challenges facing municipalities.
Nzimande Alleges Widespread Corruption
Nzimande described corruption as one of the major problems facing Ekurhuleni and likened the municipality to “a bucket of water with holes”.
He alleged that some service providers were expected to pay officials a percentage of their invoices before receiving payment.
“Let's say your invoice is about ten million and they're saying 10% of that. It might be money that is supposed to be directed to your taxes, to your overheads, you're supposed to pay your service or your people, and now you need to pay the people internally for doing their job,” he said.
He further alleged that companies from outside Ekurhuleni were subjected to additional demands.
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“Meaning you are owing double people before you could even operate,” he said.
“So the corruption, the city is like a bucket of water with holes, it is leaking.”
Nzimande also identified revenue collection as an area requiring urgent attention, alleging that money was being lost through weaknesses in the system.
“The revenue collection with the city, they have a way of collecting revenue, but there is a leak somewhere because they will go to big companies that are consuming the biggest electricity,” he said.
The allegations have not been independently established.
‘I’m Not A Politician’
Pressed on why residents should trust him to manage billions of rand in public funds, Nzimande acknowledged his limited political experience.
“Before I said anything, I said to you, remember, I'm not a politician,” he said.
He said he would rely on people with experience of municipal administration to support his leadership.
“When we are pushing people out of the system, we are entering with the people that understand the system,” Nzimande said.
When Mngambi told him that he had not answered the questions directly, Nzimande responded jokingly.
“You’re grilling me... You’re grilling me Xoli, and you said ‘no, I will take you head-on,’” he said, laughing.
He described his candidacy as a “calling” and said he was prepared to develop the skills required for the position.
“This is a calling. When I'm saying to you, I am willing to work. I am willing to learn.”
Broadcasting Career As Evidence Of Adaptability
Nzimande pointed to his media career as evidence that he had shown an ability to learn and build successful projects.
He referred to his Against The Wall podcast, which focuses on interviews with former offenders about their experiences in prison.
“My podcast was sitting on number two today. The City of Ekurhuleni is not a podcast. I know I'm going to be attacked for this,” he said.
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He also cited his work on Moja Love, saying one of the programmes he was involved with had regularly trended at number one on X, formerly Twitter.
Nzimande argued that his experience in broadcasting and community engagement had exposed him to many of the social problems affecting residents.
‘I Know The Issues On The Ground’
Nzimande said his community work had taken him into schools and communities across Ekurhuleni and given him an understanding of issues affecting residents.
“Let's say you're asking me about schools, Xoli. There is no school I've never been into in Ekurhuleni,” he said.
He cited drugs, gangsterism, bullying, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence among the issues on which he had worked.
“When you're talking about nyaope in Katlehong, when you're talking about gender-based violence, I'm a GBV champion. So all of those issues that are affecting people.”
Afrika Mayibuye has defended its decision to field Nzimande despite criticism of his candidacy.
The debate over his suitability is likely to intensify as South Africa's local elections approach, with candidates under increasing pressure to demonstrate both political credibility and the practical ability to manage municipalities.
