Munzoor Shaik-Emam - NFP

Munsoor

Political background: I have always been involved in community activities. I come from a family that have been very committed in improving the lives of the less fortunate. I was a member of ACTSTOP (Action Committee to Stop Evictions) in Johannesburg as well as a member of the UDF pre - 1994. I have held many positions in different community organisations, including Chairperson of Crisis Careline school governing bodies, body corporates and providing legal assistance to those in need. I was a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and after much engagement with the leadership for transformation with emphasis on service delivery it became apparent that I was not going to achieve much success in uplifting the lives of the underprivileged and as such a decision was made to form the National Freedom Party (NFP). I am a founding member of the NFP. This decision was motivated by my desire to serve the best interest of the people.

What are you looking forward to in joining this Fifth Parliament as a new MP? The difference, in my view, between the previous Parliaments and the Fifth Parliament would be between implementation and consequences for those failing to deliver as per their respective strategic plans. It is my view that failure to deliver is also as a result of MPs, who are members of all the different portfolio committees failing to ensure that entities or departments were on target in terms of their projections. The failure to intervene and/or take decisive action has added to the perception that government has not delivered.

What does your job as an MP entail? As an MP I represent the people, irrespective of their political affiliation, in various committees such as the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Standing Committee on Appropriations, Portfolio Committees on Health and Police, and SADC. As a member of the Standing Committee on Appropriations, it would be my responsibility to ensure that all budgets allocated to the different entities are spent timeously, that value for money is achieved and that timeous intervention will prevent under-spending resulting in better service delivery and compliance in terms of the strategic plans of such entities.

What are you looking forward to in engaging in constituency work? Communicating with the people on the ground, addressing their challenges, attending to their needs, advising them on progress in terms of service delivery and ensuring that at a local government level, the needs of the community are being addressed.

I am passionate about addressing the imbalances of the past, improving the lives of the poorest of the poor and working together to make South Africa a safe, secure environment where all South Africans can live side by side in peace and harmony, love and respect each other and accept each other irrespective of one's gender, colour, political affiliation, cultural and religious beliefs. I want a South Africa free from fraud, corruption, maladministration, and wasteful and fruitless expenditure - A country where self-enrichment at the expense of the poor and less fortunate is totally eradicated.

My message to South Africa is: Let us unite as one nation and work together to build a better South Africa - not just for ourselves but also the generations to come. Let us leave behind a legacy that our future generations can be proud of.

For more about Mr Shaik-Emam, visit his profile.

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