09 November 2025
Release: immediate
Note to editors: This following statement was communicated at a press conference today that included Unite of Change Leaders Dr Mmusi Maimane MP, Minister Patricia de Lille MP, Songezo Zibi MP, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster MP, MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa MPL, and Brett Herron MPP. Access to the online candidate application process can be accessed here.
Unite for Change was formed because we believe South Africa possesses an abundance of capacity and potential. It is a country of skilled people, fertile land, mineral wealth, and natural beauty. What we have missed for too long is ethical and grounded leadership that is in touch with the needs and aspirations of all South Africans.
It is no secret that South Africa is in the grips of a governance crisis. From the continent’s economic capital, Johannesburg, to the tiny Mthonjaneni Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, citizens feel the collapse of service delivery on a daily basis. Taps run dry, roads crumble and refuse is left to pile up on street corners. It doesn’t have to be this way.
The barriers to our country’s progress are certainly not inherent. They are structural, political, and often simply managerial. The repeated failures of established parties to deliver on governance at local levels have created a vacuum for new approaches and ideas, and most crucially new leadership.
It should make us all uncomfortable that in the midst of governance shortcomings, capable individuals seeking to contribute to society in elected office feel alienated from political institutions and parties, perceiving them as detached and self-serving.
In the local government context, what municipalities do extends well beyond their traditionally framed limits of local administration in fixing potholes and billing tariffs. Local government is central to our country’s capacity to grow and provide equitable opportunity to every citizen. Our towns and cities should lead South Africa’s renewal by driving the economies of the future which are digital innovation, creativity, care, and tourism.
Therefore, the country’s best and brightest should be involved. Yet those who sit in elected seats in local government are falling short. Just last week we learned that a provincial skills audit revealed that more than 300 KwaZulu-Natal councillors were illiterate, unable to read performance plans, budgets and council reports.
It is not elitist to expect councillors to possess the skills and experience required to serve ethically and professionally. It is the bare minimum. Yet the establishment parties keep on showing voters who they are, and why they should be rejected at the ballot.
There is a lack of depth and leadership in governance. Johannesburg is a prime example. We’ve witnessed a change of mayor ten times since 2019. Today, while one party cannot find a mayor that is ethical and above reproach, another party had to import someone from Cape Town to stand as their mayoral candidate. We deserve better than having to choose between the lesser of two evils.
Unite for Change emerges in response to this need. Our formation is grounded in the principle that good governance must be both ethical and competent. We prioritise merit, expertise, and integrity, and we recognise that building public trust requires consistent delivery.
Candidate Recruitment Process
Today, little more than a month after Unite for Change was launched, we are pleased to announce the opening of our candidate recruitment process ahead of next year’s Local Government Elections (LGE).
It has gone live on our website this morning, and we are calling on community leaders, citizens and professionals to apply to become councillor candidates and where appropriate, mayoral candidates. We uphold the mantra that politics is too important to be left to politicians, and we are offering fresh faces and new talent a pathway to public service.
The process is grounded in openness and transparency. Citizens deserve to know who they are voting for, where they live, and what values they hold. Key features include:
- Local endorsement: No one can become a candidate without genuine support from their community. Unite for Change will not impose candidates from the top down.
- Merit-based selection: A transparent scoring system ensures candidates succeed based on ability rather than political connections.
- Skills-focused: The process encourages new entrants, including professionals and community leaders.
- Public transparency: Candidate profiles will be made publicly accessible to give voters clear insight into who is seeking to serve them.
The five-stage process is as follows:
Stage 1: Application
All aspiring candidates will complete an online application to ensure a fair and standardised process. Applicants must be registered voters, members of the party, and pay a modest application fee. These funds will go toward a candidate starter pack to help with campaign materials and community engagement.
Stage 2: Vetting
Every applicant will undergo a thorough vetting process to confirm their eligibility to run for public office. This includes background and criminal checks, assessments of previous political or disciplinary records, and identifying candidates whose skills and experience can strengthen the organisation.
Stage 3: Endorsements
Candidates will demonstrate their community support by collecting 200 signatures from voters in the wards where they seek to stand. This step not only tests local electability but also seeks to directly involve voters in the process of selecting their public representatives.
Stage 4: Ranking
All qualified candidates will be ranked through a transparent, points-based system that rewards merit, community engagement, education and party service. The process includes adjustments to ensure diversity and fair representation of gender, age, race and disability, creating an equitable and competitive environment for all.
Stage 5: Public Announcement and Platforming
Approved candidates will be publicly introduced through provincial and national events alongside party leadership. Candidate profiles will also be available on the Unite for Change website to promote transparency and allow South Africans to learn more about the individuals standing to serve their communities.
Where Unite for Change will Contest
We can announce that Unite for Change will be on the ballot in all 8 metros, with a mayoral candidate in each to spearhead the respective city-specific campaigns.
A decision on which local and district municipalities Unite for Change will compete in will be made at a later stage and will be dependent on the calibre and quality of candidates applying for each respective municipality.
Calibre of Candidate
It is important that we are clear on what type of candidate we are seeking. The door is wide open to those who want to step up and serve their communities with integrity, compassion and competence.
However, our values act as both an invitation and a filter. We are building a movement rooted in social justice, non-racialism, anti-corruption, and constitutionalism..
We are looking for candidates who:
· Believe in uniting communities rather than dividing them.
· Are guided by fairness, accountability, and service to others.
· See local government as a tool to deliver tangible change.
· Bring professional skill and local insight to their municipalities.
We are not looking for candidates who:
· Exploit fear, race, or religion to gain political advantage.
· See politics as a path to personal enrichment or patronage.
· Believe that competence and values are mutually exclusive.
· Are unwilling to serve transparently and uphold the Constitution.
Immediate Plan of Action
In the immediate term, Unite for Change will embark on a series of public engagements and town hall meetings across the country to introduce our candidate process and invite citizens to shape the organisation Our leadership team is collectively driving this next phase by sharing responsibilities to strengthen the organisation, broaden partnerships with like-minded parties and civic groups, and prepare for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
South Africa’s future depends on its cities and towns functioning as engines of opportunity, fairness, and innovation. By restoring legitimacy to local government through accountable leadership and effective service delivery, we can begin to rebuild citizen trust, stimulate economic growth, and create a more equitable society.
Local government is where change must start, and it is where Unite for Change is best positioned to deliver.
Media enquiries: media@uniteforchangesa.org