CAPE TOWN – RISE Mzansi (RISE) National Leader Songezo Zibi announced a formal collaboration with the Good Party to contest the 2026 local government elections in Cape Town, declaring that the upcoming vote represents a critical opportunity for community activists to assume direct decision-making power in municipal governance.
Speaking at a media briefing joined by National Chairperson Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, Chief Organiser Makashule Gana, and Johannesburg Mayoral Candidate Lukhona Mnguni, Zibi outlined the partnership’s strategic alignment, stating that the two parties are amalgamating campaign structures across various communities and municipalities to maximise operational efficiency.
Zibi criticised the City of Cape Town’s practice of holding council meetings exclusively via Zoom, arguing that the format excludes residents who cannot afford data costs. “Council meetings are public meetings. The business of the city is supposed to be done in the open so that people can see which counsellor said what,” he said, emphasising that many residents prioritise spending on rent and electricity over internet access.
The RISE Mzansi leader stressed that local government represents the only tier of governance where constituents can directly engage with representatives who live within their communities. He called for activists to move beyond petitioning and instead assume formal roles in decision-making structures. “Nothing is going to change if we do that,” Zibi said, referring to the model of external protest without institutional participation.
Addressing Cape Town’s historical and structural challenges, Zibi referenced the city’s legacy of slavery, Group Areas Act evictions, and ongoing spatial exclusion. He argued there is “no reason” for insufficient land for housing when city administrations are aware of ongoing urban migration. “Unless you have somebody like Comrade X’s MMC for housing, that problem will not get solved,” he stated.
Zibi also criticised property market dynamics, alleging that policies associated with the Democratic Alliance enable foreign buyers paying in hard currency to inflate property rates, pricing out local professionals. “Even if you are a professional and you have a job, you still can’t find a place to live in your own city,” he said.
Echoing a campaign philosophy attributed to the party’s mayoral candidate, Zibi articulated a core principle: “If you work here you must be able to live here.” He linked lengthy commutes and low wages to broader social challenges, noting that parents who leave before sunrise and return after sunset lack time to care for their children—a dynamic he said is unfairly used to critique communities.
“We need a mayoral candidate and counsellors who are going to solve those structural problems and not engage in PR and say let’s build a wall so that the tourists when they come here they can’t see the suffering,” Zibi added.
He rejected the perception that Cape Town’s identity begins and ends at the V&A Waterfront, highlighting the daily burdens faced by the majority of residents, including transportation costs that consume a significant portion of income.
The briefing also addressed broader political realignments. Zibi acknowledged the late-2025 announcement regarding potential merger talks between RISE Mzansi, the Good Party, and Build One South Africa (BOSA) under a proposed entity named “Unite for Change.” However, he clarified that the current Cape Town collaboration between RISE Mzansi and the Good Party is proceeding independently, with no confirmation at this stage whether it forms part of the wider consolidation plan.
The alliance signals an intensified focus on metropolitan governance as parties position themselves for the 2026 local elections, with Zibi framing the contest as a chance to rectify historical inequities and embed participatory democracy at the municipal level.
