In recent days, the media space has been flooded with sensational headlines about alleged irregularities in the City of Tshwane’s water tanker expenditure. The timing, tone and intent of some of these reports raise serious questions not only about the accuracy of the information being shared but about the broader agenda behind it.
What we are witnessing is not merely a debate about municipal expenditure. It is a test of integrity of who truly serves the people and who is serving their own political interests. The City of Tshwane, under the leadership of Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, has taken the responsible route: calling for transparency, accountability and public clarity. That is what ethical governance looks like. Instead of hiding behind excuses or political spin, this administration has stepped forward to address the public directly, inviting scrutiny and conversation.
This is leadership in action by ActionSA.
Yet, even as this process unfolds, we see a familiar pattern emerging, one where political opponents and certain media outlets seem more invested in discrediting reformist leaders than in uncovering the truth. It is unfortunate, because South Africans are not fools. People on the ground can see when genuine service delivery is taking place and when the political establishment is panicking.
For far too long, South Africans have endured the fatigue of recycled politics, the same promises, the same rhetoric, and the same blame games. What has changed is that a new generation of leaders is rising… leaders who refuse to be intimidated by the old machinery of fear and manipulation. The response of the City of Tshwane to recent allegations is a microcosm of a larger truth: that real leadership demands courage, not convenience.
Dr Moya and her team have shown that governance can be both accountable and people-centred. This is what the public has been asking for, leaders who work, not leaders who talk.
Our democracy depends on a free and independent press. But independence must go hand-in-hand with responsibility. The growing tendency of some media houses to report selectively, sensationally, or politically, threatens the very principles of truth and fairness. When media platforms become battlegrounds for political manipulation, ordinary citizens suffer.
We have seen how powerful narratives can be used to frame individuals turning progress into scandal and service into suspicion. Whether it’s about municipal expenditure or the reputation of a respected figure like General Mkhwanazi, who continues to command public respect despite endless attempts to discredit him, the pattern remains the same. Those who stand for integrity, accountability, and reform become targets of coordinated attacks.
But South Africans are waking up. The public no longer consumes headlines uncritically. People are asking questions, comparing actions to words, and judging leaders not by propaganda but by delivery.
This moment demands more than party loyalty. It demands introspection from every citizen who still believes in the idea of a South Africa that works, a South Africa that is safe, fair, and just. The political establishment has long assumed that voters can be swayed by fear campaigns or clever soundbites. But the tide has turned.
Citizens now recognise that promises mean little without proof. Communities are watching who is fixing roads, providing clean water, restoring dignity in service delivery, and taking decisive action against corruption. They are watching who shows up and who doesn’t.
And in that light, the distinction between empty politics and meaningful leadership becomes clear.
Leadership is what we are seeing in Tshwane, a city that is not hiding from scrutiny but rather embracing it. The Executive Mayor’s media advisory this week reflects a government that is confident enough to engage the public head-on, instead of waiting for spin doctors to speak on its behalf.
That’s the South Africa we should be building. One where truth and service matter more than party politics.
There is a dangerous trend in South African politics where accountability is weaponised . When a government calls for transparency, instead of being applauded, it’s often attacked. When leaders make difficult decisions for the long-term good, they are portrayed as villains. This toxic environment discourages honesty and rewards manipulation.
If we continue to punish those who act with integrity while rewarding those who merely perform outrage, our democracy will suffer. The only winners in such a game are the corrupt and the complacent.
The citizens of this country must begin to see through these tactics, the fear-mongering, the smear campaigns, the conveniently timed “exposés” that appear just before elections. South Africans are too wise, too resilient, and too experienced to be fooled again.
Our real battle is not between political parties. It is between truth and deception, between service and self-interest. It is about whether we will allow propaganda to destroy honest leadership or whether we will defend the values that make democracy worth fighting for.
We are at a crossroads. The choices we make now as voters, as citizens, as communities will determine the kind of country we leave for the next generation. It is time to support those who deliver, who take accountability seriously, and who refuse to be silenced by manufactured scandals.
When the City of Tshwane calls a press briefing to explain its expenditure openly, that is democracy in action. When leaders stand before the people instead of hiding behind press statements, that is courage. When citizens demand the truth rather than accept media manipulation, that is progress.
South Africa’s healing and growth depend on our ability to separate truth from noise. The nation cannot afford to be divided by misinformation or political bitterness. We must insist on leadership that delivers, leadership that serves without fear or favour.
Let us not be distracted by those who benefit from confusion. Let us stand with those who work tirelessly, even under attack, to rebuild cities, restore accountability, and return dignity to governance.
The future belongs to leaders who act, not those who merely talk. It belongs to citizens who think critically, not those who are easily misled. It belongs to a South Africa that is unafraid to confront lies with truth.
As the City of Tshwane continues to demonstrate through its transparency and communication, progress is possible. But only if we, the people, refuse to allow politics to overshadow purpose.
Because in the end, it is not the noise of the critics that shapes history… it is the work of the doers.
South Africans Deserve Leaders Who Act — Not Politicians Who Play Games
In recent days, the media space has been flooded with sensational headlines about alleged irregularities in the City of Tshwane’s water tanker expenditure. The timing, tone and intent of some of these reports raise serious questions not only about the accuracy of the information being shared but about the broader agenda behind it.
What we are witnessing is not merely a debate about municipal expenditure. It is a test of integrity of who truly serves the people and who is serving their own political interests. The City of Tshwane, under the leadership of Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, has taken the responsible route: calling for transparency, accountability and public clarity. That is what ethical governance looks like. Instead of hiding behind excuses or political spin, this administration has stepped forward to address the public directly, inviting scrutiny and conversation.
This is leadership in action by ActionSA.
Yet, even as this process unfolds, we see a familiar pattern emerging, one where political opponents and certain media outlets seem more invested in discrediting reformist leaders than in uncovering the truth. It is unfortunate, because South Africans are not fools. People on the ground can see when genuine service delivery is taking place and when the political establishment is panicking.
For far too long, South Africans have endured the fatigue of recycled politics, the same promises, the same rhetoric, and the same blame games. What has changed is that a new generation of leaders is rising… leaders who refuse to be intimidated by the old machinery of fear and manipulation. The response of the City of Tshwane to recent allegations is a microcosm of a larger truth: that real leadership demands courage, not convenience.
Dr Moya and her team have shown that governance can be both accountable and people-centred. This is what the public has been asking for, leaders who work, not leaders who talk.
Our democracy depends on a free and independent press. But independence must go hand-in-hand with responsibility. The growing tendency of some media houses to report selectively, sensationally, or politically, threatens the very principles of truth and fairness. When media platforms become battlegrounds for political manipulation, ordinary citizens suffer.
We have seen how powerful narratives can be used to frame individuals turning progress into scandal and service into suspicion. Whether it’s about municipal expenditure or the reputation of a respected figure like General Mkhwanazi, who continues to command public respect despite endless attempts to discredit him, the pattern remains the same. Those who stand for integrity, accountability, and reform become targets of coordinated attacks.
But South Africans are waking up. The public no longer consumes headlines uncritically. People are asking questions, comparing actions to words, and judging leaders not by propaganda but by delivery.
This moment demands more than party loyalty. It demands introspection from every citizen who still believes in the idea of a South Africa that works, a South Africa that is safe, fair, and just. The political establishment has long assumed that voters can be swayed by fear campaigns or clever soundbites. But the tide has turned.
Citizens now recognise that promises mean little without proof. Communities are watching who is fixing roads, providing clean water, restoring dignity in service delivery, and taking decisive action against corruption. They are watching who shows up and who doesn’t.
And in that light, the distinction between empty politics and meaningful leadership becomes clear.
Leadership is what we are seeing in Tshwane, a city that is not hiding from scrutiny but rather embracing it. The Executive Mayor’s media advisory this week reflects a government that is confident enough to engage the public head-on, instead of waiting for spin doctors to speak on its behalf.
That’s the South Africa we should be building. One where truth and service matter more than party politics.
There is a dangerous trend in South African politics where accountability is weaponised . When a government calls for transparency, instead of being applauded, it’s often attacked. When leaders make difficult decisions for the long-term good, they are portrayed as villains. This toxic environment discourages honesty and rewards manipulation.
If we continue to punish those who act with integrity while rewarding those who merely perform outrage, our democracy will suffer. The only winners in such a game are the corrupt and the complacent.
The citizens of this country must begin to see through these tactics, the fear-mongering, the smear campaigns, the conveniently timed “exposés” that appear just before elections. South Africans are too wise, too resilient, and too experienced to be fooled again.
Our real battle is not between political parties. It is between truth and deception, between service and self-interest. It is about whether we will allow propaganda to destroy honest leadership or whether we will defend the values that make democracy worth fighting for.
We are at a crossroads. The choices we make now as voters, as citizens, as communities will determine the kind of country we leave for the next generation. It is time to support those who deliver, who take accountability seriously, and who refuse to be silenced by manufactured scandals.
When the City of Tshwane calls a press briefing to explain its expenditure openly, that is democracy in action. When leaders stand before the people instead of hiding behind press statements, that is courage. When citizens demand the truth rather than accept media manipulation, that is progress.
South Africa’s healing and growth depend on our ability to separate truth from noise. The nation cannot afford to be divided by misinformation or political bitterness. We must insist on leadership that delivers, leadership that serves without fear or favour.
Let us not be distracted by those who benefit from confusion. Let us stand with those who work tirelessly, even under attack, to rebuild cities, restore accountability, and return dignity to governance.
The future belongs to leaders who act, not those who merely talk. It belongs to citizens who think critically, not those who are easily misled. It belongs to a South Africa that is unafraid to confront lies with truth.
As the City of Tshwane continues to demonstrate through its transparency and communication, progress is possible. But only if we, the people, refuse to allow politics to overshadow purpose.
Because in the end, it is not the noise of the critics that shapes history… it is the work of the doers.