FF Plus unveils mayoral candidates for Gauteng metros

Pieter de Necker,chief executive of the FF Plus at a press briefing on Tuesday in Centurion to unveil mayoral candidates.

Siyamtanda Capa/News24

Former MP Willie Spies will run for mayor in Tshwane,following his recent swearing-in as a PR councillor.The FF Plus aims to be a top-three party in Gauteng metros,contesting 245 PR seats and 526 wards.The party emphasises conservative values and opposes the governance of the ANC,EFF,MK Party,and ActionSA.For more political news visit News24 Politics.The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng has named its mayoral candidates,with former party MP Willie Spies set to run in the City of Tshwane.

Spies was sworn in as a PR councillor last week. His swearing-in came in the wake of former FF Plus caucus leader in Tshwane,Grandi Theunissen,defecting to the DA.

Spies was the first mayoral candidate to be announced on Tuesday at the party’s headquarters in Centurion.

For the City of Johannesburg,long-serving councillor Franco de Lange will go up against the DA’s Helen Zille and others,while in the City of Ekurhuleni,Jennifer Glover has been chosen as the party’s candidate.

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The FF Plus aims to be among the top three parties in the three metros after the 4 November election. The metros will probably be hung.

READ | FF Plus Tshwane caucus leader joins DA,accuses former party of being undemocraticFor the rest of Gauteng’s secondary cities,candidates were announced as follows:

Emfuleni – Cobus CatoLesedi – Mari BoshoffMidvaal – Ockert Brits Mogale City – Amy SteynRand West – Fred Steffer andMerafong City – Ben van der Berg

The party is contesting 245 public representative seats and 526 wards in Gauteng.

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FF Plus CEO Pieter de Necker said they wanted to keep municipalities out of the hands of the ANC,MK Party and ActionSA.

De Necker added:

In our view,[these parties] have shown that their focus is on corruption and on individuals benefiting themselves.

He said the FF Plus could bring change,and that it would.

“We are seeing it across the country. Voters are saying enough is enough and realising that coalitions are now a real possibility. It is going to happen.”

READ | FF Plus axes Tshwane caucus leader after voting for project party opposedDe Necker said the difference between the DA and the FF Plus was not that they disagreed on the need to stop corruption and fix service delivery,but how this should be achieved.

He added:

The Freedom Front Plus is a conservative party,while the DA is liberal. Our conservative values focus on community and family values. By community,we mean minority communities,whereas a liberal party places greater emphasis on the rights of the individual.

De Necker opened and closed Tuesday’s press briefing with a prayer and scripture.

FF Plus Gauteng leader Jaco Mulder said the party’s candidates were rooted in community service,were sitting councillors,some with years of experience,and were well qualified.

“We are very excited about this announcement. We believe these are people who bring stability to the table. In certain areas,it will be in opposition,in some it will be in coalition,” Mulder added.

The FF Plus will unveil its manifesto launch on 12 September.

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