Unite for Change calls for councillor recommendations

"What we cannot replicate is a situation a bit like what you have in KZN, when councillors in certain municipalities cannot even read audit statements, who are illiterate. We're looking for citizens who say to themselves that ultimately they will work as part of a collective and be able to bring meaningful change in their cities, towns or municipalities," says Maimane.

Unite for Change is calling on civil society, faith-based organisations and businesses to put forward people. They will then be vetted to ensure they have no criminal record and appear before an interview panel.

Those selected will then be trained over a period of a year. "So that we ensure that when people get voted for and end up in councils, they are competent, not only in municipal law and how municipalities work, but they are also clear in their sense that we've really tested that these are people who are genuine. They all require endorsements from their communities; this is our way of checking whether or not this person legitimately comes from a particular community. So that these are not individuals, as you see in typical political parties, where the party can say, 'This person now will become a councillor'. Yet the people don't know them."

Maimane explains that once they've done that, there will be a ranking, taking into account the criteria and all the work people have done in the year.

Applications will close in January.

To listen to Maimane speak to Thabo Shole-Mashao, click on the link below.