By Zukile Majova
A new KwaZulu Natal party is dishing out electrical appliances to woo voters ahead of this week’s by-election in Newcastle.
On Monday, little known regional party Team Sugar South Africa (TSSA) surprised the community of Ward 31 in Newcastle by handing out brand new fridges, electric stoves and microwaves.
The four-burner stoves sell for R5,000 each, fridges R4,000 and microwaves R1,800.
Party leader Musa “Sugar” Thwala is a charismatic character who was caught on video in December 2022 spinning a BMW Gusheshe and crashing into a crowd of spectators.
Thwala’s party, which is modelled along the lines of a social movement and fights for the rights of factory workers, won two wards and five proportional representation seats after the 2021 municipal elections.
TSSA emerged as kingmakers in the hung municipality, earning Thwala the position of deputy mayor.
Since then the party has established branches in the eThekwini Metro.
The ANC has often attempted to woo voters ahead of elections with gifts such as food parcels, exploiting the desperation of unemployed rural and township communities.
Recently Scrolla.Africa reported how ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo tried to use food parcels to get the community of Msinga to vote for the party.
Voters took the food but still voted for the IFP.
In November, Scrolla.Africa reported that Newcastle ward councillor Nokusa Mroza Khumalo committed suicide.
The 31-year-old member of TSSA was found hanging from the roof of her house in Masondeza.
Her cousin, Thabile Khumalo, told us the family did not know what drove her to take her own life.
“She was a person who spoke out if there were things that she didn’t like. We are puzzled, as the family, as to why she decided to take her own life when all in her life seemed to be going well,” said the cousin.
Pictured above: Musa “Sugar” Thwala dishing out sweeteners to Ward 31 residents
Image source: 1KZNTV
