Question - Introduce yourself, Name, Surname and Party
Answer - My name is Thushan Padayachee, born at the HV Hospital, better known to all to as the Steve Biko Hospital. I am a citizen of Laudium. I am an independent candidate.
Question - Tell us about yourself and why did you decide to stand as Ward 61 Councillor?
Answer - I am an ordinary man and a community activist, a pioneer from the Himalaya Secondary school, instinctively leading in the 1980’s school boycotts at the Himalaya school, been harassed by the special branch, spent time at the COMPOL building under integration, fighting for a collective course that I believed in.
2021, 41 years later and still actively participating in many community organisations and programs, a few to mention, from Resident and Flats Association, CPF’s, feeding programs, Cultural organisations, Environmental Programs, sporting organisations and engaging with the city on some delivery programs
Not enough is been done to look after the welfare of the citizen/s in our community, we lack expertise especially true leadership.
Question - Where are your favourite places to spend time in our town?
Answer - Due to the COVID, and working within the covid parameters allowed to engage. I generally enjoy, working with children at the sports fields. I also quit enjoy looking at means and ways to create dialogue to improve a life.
Question - If elected, what steps would you take to make our town a better place?
Answer - As your Ward Councillor, I will be at the forefront of service delivery. I appreciate that Ward Councillors are elected servants of the voters, and to this end my vision is much bigger than just being elected. It will be to wade through the clutter of a council that seems to be groping for direction, and to create a pathway for our society to achieve what is ultimately due to each citizen.
We in South Africa are facing colossal challenges on a daily basis, and my call to action will be my total obligation and commitment to the principals of……
‘TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY & ACCESSIBILITY’
These three principals will be the cornerstone of my promise to the people of ward 61.
I will strive to ensure that:
My priority will be to oversee all council functions and the efficient workings of the ‘Oversight Committee’.
That all elected servants of the public are responsible for their functions and the posts that they have undertaken to uphold.
Question - List the issues we currently face in our Ward?
Answer - One is required to correct the perception of the question, these are not issues, they are needs of our people in the ward.
Our needs in ward 61 are too many to mention. The citizens need vary from individual / homes / streets/ to the different residential area where that the citizens reside.
The citizens who live in Itireleng will certainly have different requirements to a citizen living in central Laudium, Erasmia and Gerhardsville. The citizens in ward 61 may also have common needs and requirements.
1. Business
2. Health
3. Schools
4. Pensioners
5. Security
6. Drug abuse
7. Religious community
8. Lack of childcare facilities
9. Water restriction
10. Electricity outages
11. Road maintenance
12. Unemployment
13. Sporting facilities
14. Garbage on our streets
15. Gender based violence
16. Social Welfare
Question - How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town?
Answer - As your duly elected representative I will seek your MANDATE …
To use all media platforms, to engage with you personally, to make every effort for regular reporting. To also do report back sessions via live meetings. In my report back session, I will seek to identify our challenges and to communicate, with your help, the way forward in resolving these challenges. Together formulate solutions and build Ward 61 as a model for the rest of South Africa to follow.
I will strive to rectify the shortfalls that face our society, by addressing pertinent social issues.
Through all media platforms, personal engagements, regular reporting and public meetings to identify challenges
Speak to our diverse people on issues such as …..
Question - Why should the community vote for you? What difference do you see yourself making?
Answer - That Public servants are accountable, brought to book for any irregularities, and above all, be responsible for their actions as servants of the public.
My choice of being an “Independent” does not make me beholden to a political party and hence gives me the freedom to say it as it is! I vow to represent the needs of Itireleng, Laudium, Claudius, Erasmia, Christoburg and Gerhardsville (WARD 61).
History has given us a moral compass to direct our course, and to this end, taught us that the only workable system is that of ‘participatory democracy’. I will use this axiom as my guide and to dictate my way forward.
MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF WARD 61 …
I place on record my deep concern for a society that thrives on social justice, that yearns for a decent lifestyle, and a place for our children to prosper and blossom into upstanding citizens. My vision is to achieve this.
Thank you
