For decades, Mehla Xamba has watched the state of service delivery in his ward in Port St Johns deteriorate, and as an avid voter for the ANC, which was the party governing the small coastline town, it saddened him.
Now 74, when most men his age are putting their feet up and enjoying quality time with their family, Xamba, from Madakeni village, has put his hand up as an aspiring ward 2 councillor come the November 4 elections.
For the first time in his life, the retired mineworker, avid fisherman, father and grandfather is running to be a ward councillor — not for power, not for a title, but for his community.
Mehla knows what hard work looks like. He spent decades deep underground, where a man learns patience, resilience and the value of looking out for the man next to him.
As a fisherman, he knows you can catch a fish by showing up early, staying still, listening to the water, and being there when the moment comes, and he has lived in this ward long enough to know its streets, its struggles and its stories.
Since retiring from mine work 30 years ago, the Twelve Apostles Church in Christ member and African Transformation Movement (ATM) supporter, who joined the party two years ago, has become something of a knight in shining armour for residents of his village and neighbouring communities.
Xamba transports the sick, pregnant and injured to healthcare facilities when they struggle to get ambulances.
He carts water to homes without water tanks for water harvesting and has also been showing young people how to fish.
He has always cast his vote during elections and has never thought of running for a council seat, until the conversation came up during a church gathering.
"Wherever I go, I help people. People call me when they have to be taken to hospital when they are sick, injured or pregnant, even at 1am.
"I can't pass a person by without helping. It's just in my nature and I serve God that way. My heart is happiest when I serve people.
"Yes, I'm old, but I'm old enough to understand what service really means. There's no substitute for experience.
"The old guard is needed to guide the youth.
"I've been doing good work to uplift my community and I'm well known here because of my deeds."
Mehla said people in the area were struggling while waiting for the government to fulfil its promises.
It had been about 10 years since the village's taps ran dry, and the roads were so bad that even drizzle made them undriveable.
Mehla only has the equivalent of grade 4, and with council documents mostly written in English, he said it would not deter him.
"I will speak what I know and if it will be translated, I don't mind," he said.
He started fishing at the age of 19 and later earned a skipper’s licence, enabling him to charter fishing trips for tourists. Now, he is determined to pass on his knowledge and experience to the next generation.
"My aim, if I become a councillor is to gather the youth and teach them skills such as fishing to equip them.
"Things are bad in the municipality with corruption [allegedly].
"It is the right time for change, for a new governing party."
