Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader, Mmusi Maimane, said his party was formed to encourage the public to participate and engage in the country’s political arena.
This is after Bosa marked its second tenure in the political space on Tuesday.
The party was launched two years ago on September 24 after Maimane’s three-year sabbatical following his controversial exit as DA leader in 2019.
“We started to have conversations about how we can reimagine our politics, how we can make our politics possible so that politicians are not the only ones who are serving in politics. As the saying goes ‘politics is far too important to be left up to politicians’, but we could get citizens from different walks of life to participate in the political project,” said Maimane.
Bosa’s deputy leader, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, noted the party was formed to change South Africa’s political landscape.
“In 2022, we wanted to start something that was different, something that has never existed in South Africa. We wanted to build a political vehicle, a political platform, a party that is truly for South Africans,” said Hlazo-Webster.
As a party that self-identifies on mass job creation for the unemployed, Maimane explained Bosa managed to forge relationships with entrepreneurs and drive a job creation agenda.
Maimane’s statement was in line with Bosa’s policies to declare townships as special economic zones.
“We have always been ‘by the people, for the people’. We wanted to fight for an economy that works. We wanted to go into townships and get them declared as special economic zones. We worked with entrepreneurs and said ‘can we partner with you so that your business can go further and create jobs’,” said Maimane.
He said a part of Bosa’s goals is to advocate for the representation of SMMEs that can deliver economic prosperity.
Maimane, being a staunch education activist, reiterated that Bosa wanted to denounce the 30% school pass rate, increasing it to 50%.
“We looked at the issue of education ‒ I care deeply about education. We fight so children cannot be deemed compliant at 30% in a subject, but that we could partner with institutions to deliver the best education for South Africans,” he said.
Since its inception, Bosa has called for the scrapping of the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC). The party believed the Grade 9 exit certificate was endorsing “Hendrick Verwoerd” ideologies for black learners to remain in low-skilled careers.
About two months ago, Bosa also urged Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to delegate a task-force team that would investigate and recover misused funds meant to construct Mayibuye Primary School in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.
The party’s demands followed a report by Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka, titled “Mayibuye Formal Report”, which revealed that R82 million had been squandered by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development during the time of construction of the school seven years ago.
It was discovered the school was built on a wetland, further endangering the lives of teachers and learners.
Despite garnering 0.41% in the May 29 polls, the small party boasted small strides by scooping two seats in the National Assembly, and one seat in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Thanking party members, Maimane said: “The election results may be what we did not expect, but they gave us a door, a start. They opened the door, and we have the privilege to serve in the National Assembly and Gauteng Legislature.”
Hlazo-Webster echoed Maimane’s words. “Thank you for entrusting us with your vote and taking us to Parliament and the Legislature as a baby that was less than 2-years- old to represent you and your voice,” she said.
Both leaders said Bosa’s party mandate is holding leaders accountable, while fostering a multiracial society that is economically inclusive of all citizens.
“It has been a journey. We are a party that will hold accountability and build multiple races to work together. We want to be that party that is constructive and anchors democracy, a caucus that strives for multi-racialism and builds an economy that is inclusive, fights for the marginalised and ensures South Africa truly prospers together,” they said.
Maimane expressed that he hopes for a successful run for the local government elections in 2026, including the next national elections in 2029.
“I hope we have more candidates in the local government elections and fight hard to get more public representation in 2029,” he said.
The Star