PRETORIA — The GOOD Party and Rise Mzansi have officially announced Sarah Mabotsa as their joint mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane ahead of the 2026 local government elections. This strategic cooperation framework positions the current MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning as the coalition’s preferred leader to champion ethical governance, stabilize municipal finances, and drive aggressive job creation in South Africa’s administrative capital, while allowing both parties to maintain their separate political identities.
Mabotsa, who was the GOOD Party’s only proportional representation councilor elected in Tshwane during the 2021 municipal elections, was appointed to her current MMC role in 2024 under the multi-party coalition led by Mayor Dr. Nasipi Moya. She claims that in less than two years, she has successfully helped raise Tshwane’s investment capital from just over 1 billion rand to approximately 15 billion rand.
If elected, Mabotsa has pledged to stabilize the city’s finances, enhance service delivery, and create 80,000 jobs. Her platform also emphasizes building a safer city, expanding housing opportunities, and advancing social justice.
A central pillar of the coalition’s announcement is a commitment to ethical leadership untainted by state inquiry scandals. Party leadership highlighted that neither the GOOD Party nor Rise Mzansi has had any members implicated in the ongoing Madlanga Commission.
“We don’t do the politics of corruption, and we don’t do the politics of tenders,” a coalition spokesperson stated, explicitly rejecting tactics such as encouraging land occupations to secure removal tenders for friends under the guise of advocacy. “We want new leadership that can demonstrate leadership but also raise the bar. A leader must have values and principles.”
Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi reinforced this message, emphasizing that a prime responsibility of Mabotsa’s potential mayoralty will be ensuring that no resident is left behind and that all communities are equally represented.
During a recent policy interview, Mabotsa addressed questions regarding whether her candidacy represents a departure from or a continuation of the current coalition administration. She clarified that while Tshwane has been “rising,” the momentum must be accelerated to elevate residents out of poverty and combat stubborn national unemployment rates. She noted that both the Government Services Agency (GSA) and the National Treasury have recently confirmed that the city is now operating with a fully funded budget, but stressed that a mayoral mandate is necessary to push service delivery and economic growth to the next level.
When pressed on how she would handle corruption, particularly following the recent dismissal of a coalition corporate services MMC implicated in tender manipulation at the Madlanga Commission, Mabotsa stated that her party was surprised by the allegations and that disciplinary actions remain the prerogative of party leadership.
To proactively prevent future scandals, Mabotsa outlined concrete mechanisms to protect ratepayer money. Her top priority is to fully automate the city’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) system. By implementing a digital tracking system for all SCM documents, the city can prevent officials from improperly removing or altering critical paperwork, such as tax clearance certificates, which are often exploited in tender manipulation.
Furthermore, she noted that a comprehensive skills audit has already been conducted within the municipality. The findings will be used to “match and place” the right qualified professionals into critical roles, particularly within the SCM, finance, and other professional departments, ensuring that the city’s administration is both competent and accountable.
As the 2026 local government elections approach, the GOOD Party and Rise Mzansi are betting that this joint ticket, built on a foundation of verified financial growth and automated anti-corruption measures, will secure the expanded council representation needed to govern Tshwane effectively.
