Rise Mzansi and GOOD forge partnership in City of Cape Town

Axolile Notywala, who stood as Western Cape premier candidate for Rise Mzansi during the 2024 general elections, has been appointed GOOD party’s councillor in the Cape Town city council.

GOOD said on Tuesday that Notywala would take up dual membership, which will allow him to remain active in Rise Mzansi structures while representing GOOD as part of the caucus in council.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said Notywala brought with him demonstrated experience as an activist and community organiser.

He added that Notywala  also brought a “heart committed to our shared priorities around social, spatial, environmental, and economic justice”.

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“We are confident that this is only the beginning of a much broader and richer project that will add immense value to the development of social democracy in SA,” Herron said.

Rise Mzansi said in a statement the arrangement marked a “bold step” in SA politics.

“This move cements the commitment between the two parties to resuscitate their conversations exploring long-term collaboration with possibilities to merge/realign the social democratic centre of SA politics,” the statement said.

“The 2024 election outcome has given a decisive line of march from the electorate that South Africans need reconfiguration of the political landscape. It is clear that political parties can no longer work in silos, when the country is in dire need of parties and a government that responds to the socioeconomic demands people have.”

Herron addressed Rise Mzansi’s policy convention in October last year and Rise Mzansi leader Songezo leader addressed the GOOD national conference.

“The two parties will now move towards putting processes and systems in place to assist their deliberations towards a concrete way of working together compared to some artificial attempts at pre-election coalition agreements,” Rise Mzansi said.

“The parties have agreed to continue to engage with each other with the objective of seeking convergence of social democratic parties and individuals in SA. The parties agree that these engagements will not necessarily be exclusive to GOOD and Rise but will, or may, include other parties, organisations and individuals.

“As Rise Mzansi we have no doubt that GOOD has secured itself a competent and GOOD councillor in Notywala. He is as well decorated in the social justice movement space as he is in his academic and intellectual pursuits.” 

Notywala served as the national co-ordinator for the Right2Know campaign and as the general secretary of the social justice coalition.

He describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as an experienced organiser, activist and community development professional with a demonstrated history of working in the nonprofit organisation management industry.

According to his profile on Rise Mzansi’s website, Notywala is a lifelong fellow with Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity. He also served as a board member at the Philippi village project and has leadership certificates from the University of Cape and Rutgers University.

Notywala also cofounded the Movement for Collective Action and Racial Equity, which focuses on “meaningful local participatory governance, active citizenship and building solidarity among marginalised communities”.

In addition, Notywala cofounded Role Models FC, a Khayelitsha-based amateur football club that organises young men and boys to lead and be active in the fight against gender-based violence and mental health challenges.

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