Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya says her first year in office has been a test of leadership, patience, and conviction.

As she reflects on her tenure, she believes her record in one of South Africa’s most complex metros makes a strong case for her to remain at the helm beyond 2026.

“I should hope so,” she told IOL this week when asked if she is the frontrunner to be ActionSA’s mayoral candidate in the next local elections.

“For now, we’re focusing on building the case for why I should be the front runner.”

Tshwane’s municipal council includes 14 political parties, nine of which form the coalition government. ActionSA – Moya’s party –  is the third-largest in the partnership.

Moya said the reality demands constant consultation and a willingness to compromise.

“It’s complex. We are parties that don’t share many ideological similarities. But I’ve learnt that to make a coalition succeed, you must take people through your decisions, consult, and be open to being guided.”

Since assuming the position in October last year, she has centralised key decisions through committees where every coalition partner is represented. Weekly meetings track progress on service delivery and economic growth.

“It takes longer to make decisions,” she admits, “but once a decision is made, we move together.”

Moya believes coalitions are here to stay and she prefers it that way.

 “If one party dominates, it often serves only its own constituency. In a coalition, everyone’s priorities are on the table. It’s clumsy, but it’s inclusive.”

She argues that future leaders must develop negotiation and communication skills suited to coalition governance. “You can’t bully people just because you have more seats. You must learn to listen and build consensus,” she says.

Rebuilding trust with unions

When Moya took office, relations between the city and labour unions were at a low point. Workers had gone two financial years without salary increases, and some lacked protective gear.

“The first stakeholder we met was labour,” she recalls. “We wanted to fix the relationship. We said, ‘We are not here to fight with you. We are partners.’”

Although the dispute over wage increases went to court, Moya says her administration accepted the ruling without appeal and committed to paying the outstanding 3.5% and 2.5% adjustments. Funds have been set aside, and the modalities are being finalised.

“Other than that lingering issue, we have a healthy relationship with unions. They now see us as partners,” she says.

Tshwane, she says, is a city of contrasts  –  from the historic Union Buildings to the former homelands that became part of the metro after 1994. The divisions are deep, and her biggest challenge has been finding ways to unite residents who rarely interact across communities.

“As a student of nation-building, I had to ask, how do I lead people who don’t know each other?You have to be sober about the divisions that exist and find ways to bridge them.”

She describes the job as emotionally intense. “You go through five emotions in an hour… There’s a crisis, then progress, then sabotage. It’s relentless.”

Still, she finds meaning in citizens’ trust. “People just want the mayor to show up, to listen, to care. Many don’t even know what party I’m from. They just want leadership.”

Moya has drawn attention for her strong views on illegal immigration, which she says has a direct impact on municipal resources.

“We already have laws.If you don’t have papers, you have no business being in our country.”

She claims that undocumented migrants overburden Tshwane’s infrastructure, with some estimates suggesting as many as two million people living in the city illegally.

“Our infrastructure was built for four million residents. When six million use it, it collapses.”

Moya links illegal immigration to hijacked buildings, unlicensed spaza shops, and drug trafficking. “This is not theoretical. These are daily struggles for communities. Metro Police must work with Home Affairs and SAPS. When they find undocumented people, they must hand them over.”

She insists this is not xenophobia but a call for law enforcement. “At some point, the laws of this country must be respected,” she says.

Drug and substance abuse, she adds, are among the city’s most urgent problems. “Fifty-four percent of Tshwane’s residents are under 35. You can’t lead a high nation,” she says bluntly.

She describes seeing teenagers buying crystal meth for as little as R50 near schools and taxi ranks. “It’s destroying our young people.If we don’t act, we’re losing a generation.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Moya believes South Africans are becoming more issue-driven and less loyal to political parties.

“Communities are starting to say, ‘We want people who understand our challenges, not party slogans. That’s democracy maturing.”

Asked how she wants to be remembered, Moya answers without hesitation. “As a mayor who created economic opportunities and made it normal to get services from government,” she said.

A year into her tenure, she believes she has laid the groundwork.

“We’re not where we want to be yet,” she says, “but we’re on the right path.”

IOL Politics

Source link