Chiara Carter
Nomaindia Mfeketo, the new mayor of Cape Town, tackles the social side of her work with zest because she wants to make sure every function she hosts tackles the city’s “apartheid divisions”.
Mfeketo, who became mayor last week, acknowledges the criticism often levelled at Cape Town: that little has changed since 1994 and the city remains physically and socially divided along apartheid lines, with a decidedly “pale” city centre.
“This city is still the old city,” she observes, adding that between the city’s two coastlines exist many different worlds.
As the council representative at the helm of the sensitive District Six development process, Mfeketo hopes she will be able to ensure a vibrant redevelopment which will reflect the city’s social fabric.
Another pet project is the Lansdowne development corridor, which aims to provide business and employment opportunities for previously neglected township and informal settlement areas on the Cape Flats.
She says it is not just a question of physically integrating the city, because people from different communities do not socialise together. This is why she is determined that at all the functions she holds people will meet each other and share their experiences.
Her inaugural banquet last weekend was a start. Capetonians from all walks of life came together at the monolithic civic centre for a celebration which included Cape Coon minstrels as well as traditional Xhosa singers.
This dedication is in line with her history in the democratic movement, where she earned a reputation for being one of few Cape Town activists able to avoid factionalism and bridge racial divisions. A single parent, she also has a strong profile as a women’s activist and is a former office-bearer of the South African Communist Party.
As chair of the city council’s executive committee, Mfeketo earned respect for her ability to achieve consensus and avoid damaging rifts.
Her acceptance speech on becoming mayor underlined her approach. She said the days when only Africans could represent the interests of Africans, whites the interests of whites and coloureds the interests of coloureds must end.
“I stand in front of you not as a black mayor but as your mayor. I am proud to be a black African woman, but I am even more proud to be a Capetonian.”
She intends to continue the strong focus on crime-related issues of her predecessor, Theresa Solomons. But she is quick to point out that a punitive focus is not enough – the roots of crime need to be tackled.
“We are fighting zones of poverty,” she says. “Jobs, shelter and opportunities are all part of our vision.”
A former detainee who is vice-chair of the African National Congress in the region, Mfeketo says local government has become politicised, so she does not think her continuation as a party political office-bearer will be a problem.
“As public representative of the city I am not just a ceremonial figure, I also have to provide direction,” she says firmly.