MEANING: Former Midvaal mayor, Bongani Baloyi, has started his own political party called 'Xiluva' - the word means flower in English

Former Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi has started his own political party called 'Xiluva' - the word means flower in English. (Read More Here).

The chairman of the new party is former Ekurhuleni MMC for Public Safety Lehlogonolo Moseki from Action SA. 

Former ActionSA Gauteng leader Bongani Baloyi has started a new political party, Xiluva, meaning flower in Xitsonga. In this case, it refers to the protea, which is seen on the party's logo and was chosen, according to Baloyi, because of the flower's resilience.

He granted Eusebius on TimesLIVE an interview on what led to the party's formation and its values, and answered questions about the strategic and practical difficulties of being a new political player in a growing field of small and new competitors.

Baloyi told TimesLIVE contributor and analyst Eusebius McKaiser that Xiluva's foundational values are ubuntu, family, community and multiracialism. He argued that people will continue to identify across racial lines and that his party embraces multiculturalism rather than nonracialism as it is a better founding value. In particular, he wants black people's experiences acknowledged.

When pressed by McKaiser on whether he has sufficient donor backing for a project of this nature, Baloyi said he had no backers, adding that donor power influenced the decisions of ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba. Baloyi said his departure from ActionSA confirmed the need for the youth to be included in the political sphere, adding young people were often overlooked and considered spectators in politics.

He cited trust issues between him and ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba as his reason for leaving the party. Baloyi also announced former ActionSA Ekurhuleni leader Tlhogi Moseki would be the party's chairperson.

Until Wednesday, Moseki, who joined ActionSA in 2020, was a councillor in the Ekurhuleni Municipality. The party, which Baloyi said was an alternative political vehicle, will target people aged 18 to 45. He added it was born out of a sense of hopelessness and desperation based on the "home-grown ideology", known as Ubuntu and multiracialism consisting of young, capable, and competent leaders. 

Baloyi referred to the EFF's Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu as well as musician Cassper Nyovest as good examples of young and successful leaders. 

He said the pace at which the current government was leading the country was slow, and encouraged the youth to be involved in politics beyond Twitter activism.