Reverend Chris Mathebula of Hope Restoration Ministries in Kempton Park has been named as the Independent Citizen Movement’s (ICM) mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni ahead of the local government elections.
Mathebula said he was not surprised about being chosen as the movement’s candidate.
"I regard this as a responsibility and not a position. What led me to accept this position is because I wanted to see these values we have been preaching about being practised in our country. What troubled me so much was seeing how many people in this country have lost hope," he said.
Mathebula founded the church in 2001 with his wife, Phindile Mathebula, in Chloorkop in Kempton Park.
Although the movement was founded on religious principles, its leader Joe Mojapelo said as long as citizens “are not in conflict with our values, you can walk this journey” with the movement.
According to the movement’s manifesto it is a non-partisan, patriotic, humanist and apolitical movement that focuses on the advancement and reconstruction of the nation by promoting national unity, pride and service.
Mojapelo said as a movement they focused on the everyday tasks citizens could undertake to serve the country and fellow citizens.
"As a movement they (members) are not interested in politics, they are about the community needs. We are saying that all of us as South Africans, we have got a responsibility and this is what led us to establish this movement," he said.
Mojapelo further said that they were gunning for representation in the municipality. “Give us a chance to show you how a proper municipality is governed.”
The movement said it intended to contest all of Ekurhuleni's 112 wards.
Political Bureau