Young IFP candidate targets water woes in eThekwini ward - IOL

IFP’s youngest councillor candidate from a minority community, 29-year-old Nikita Govender, is contesting Ward 110 in eThekwini on behalf of the party.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has unveiled a number of its councillor candidates from minority communities as political parties prepare for the November 4 local government elections.

The candidates were introduced at an event at the Beach Cafe in North Beach, Durban, attended by IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa, Treasurer General Narend Singh, national spokesperson and eThekwini mayoral candidate Mkhuleko Hlengwa, MP Les Govender and KwaZulu-Natal MPL Nessa Banprakash, among others.

Hlengwa, who is also Deputy Minister of Transport, expressed confidence in the contribution younger candidates could make to the party and its election campaign.

He pointed to his own experience of entering Parliament at the age of 24, saying the IFP's younger members had demonstrated that they could carry out their responsibilities professionally.

Hlengwa also referred to developments at Transnet while speaking about the transport portfolio, remarked about the state-owned entity posting a profit of R4.6 billion for the first time in four years, although he declined to answer further transport-related questions, saying he did not want his government position to be seen as being used for campaigning.

Among the candidates introduced was 29-year-old Nikita Govender, the youngest of the IFP's representatives from minority communities at the event. However, the youngest councillor candidate for the party is 19 years old for the 2026 local government elections.

Govender is contesting Ward 110 in eThekwini, which includes areas such as Southgate, Rainham, Sunningdale, Glen Anil, Glen Hills, Mount Moriah and Stonebridge Drive.

Govender said she joined the IFP in 2023 after becoming involved in community work in Phoenix, where she worked alongside councillor Jonathan Annipen.

She said the experience exposed her to residents' concerns, particularly around service delivery, and convinced her that effective community leadership required being present, listening and following up on problems.

"I was drawn to the IFP because its values of ubuntu (humanity), integrity, accountability, freedom and unity in diversity strongly resonate with the kind of leader I want to be," Govender said.

She said her background as a member of a minority community had strengthened her understanding of the importance of representation and inclusion in local government.

"Every community, regardless of its size, deserves to feel seen, respected and equally considered when decisions are made," she said.

Govender said her experience in media and community work could help her communicate residents' concerns and follow up with the relevant municipal structures.

Govender said young people should not only be engaged when political parties need their votes.

If elected, she said she would establish regular youth engagements and community forums dealing with issues such as employment, skills development, education, sport, safety and entrepreneurship.

She also proposed using digital platforms to engage young residents and said young people should be encouraged to participate in finding solutions rather than simply identifying problems.

"Meaningful youth participation means listening, communicating, following up and creating opportunities for young people to contribute, not just during an election campaign, but throughout the term," she said.

For Ward 110, Govender identified the reliability of basic municipal services, particularly water supply, as an urgent concern.

She said residents had experienced water interruptions, burst pipes and delays in repairs.

Her proposed approach includes ensuring that residents receive reference numbers for reported problems, regular updates and information about the progress of repairs.

She also said recurring infrastructure problems should be identified and addressed through maintenance and infrastructure-upgrade programmes rather than being dealt with only after failures occur.

At 29, Govender would be among younger councillors if elected. She said younger politicians could contribute fresh perspectives, new ideas and an understanding of how young people communicate, while experienced councillors could offer institutional knowledge and insight into municipal processes.

"For me, it is not about age; it is about learning from one another," she said.

Govender also addressed the potential tension between party positions and ward interests.

She said her responsibility as a councillor would be to the residents she represented and that, where she disagreed with a party-supported decision, she would raise her concerns through the appropriate party and municipal structures.

"I believe loyalty and accountability can exist together," she said.

Outside politics, Govender is involved in dance, photography, videography, graphic design and content creation. She is also involved in her church's media and creative-arts ministry, teaches dance to Sunday School children and volunteers at a church feeding centre.

The IFP has said it will contest the 2026 local government elections with 3 188 candidates nationally, 1 922 ward candidates and 1 266 proportional-representation candidates. The party has also announced Hlengwa as its eThekwini mayoral candidate with his deputy is taxi mogul, Sizwe "Mavava" Sikhakhane, who is also the Durban Central constituency chairperson.