Who should I vote for?
That choice is yours, and nobody should make it for you. We are the Truth and Solidarity Movement. We are asking for your vote in Gauteng's municipal elections on 4 November 2026, and this page tells you plainly why.
For the people, not for the government
Vote for the party that works for you, not for itself. We believe that is TRUTH, and that we are the best choice on your ballot paper. Here is what we mean by it.
Your rights are not a gift
The rights and liberties of the individual are not a gift from government, and no election result puts anyone above the law. That is the idea our Movement is built on.
Public money is your money
Public money belongs to the public. Every rand must deliver value, and every resident has the right to know where the money goes.
No community is invisible
Residents must be participants in local government, not merely recipients of election promises. No community should be invisible to its government.
“Do not judge us by the size of our promises. Judge us by the systems we build, the results we deliver and the accountability we accept.”
Five questions to ask any party. Ask us first.
Promises are cheap at election time. Our president challenges every TRUTH candidate to answer five questions. Put them to every party that wants your vote, starting with ours.
A candidate who cannot answer them is asking you to trust a slogan.
- What will you change?
- What will it cost?
- Who will implement it?
- When will it be completed?
- How will the public measure whether you succeeded?
The 10 Governance Commandments
The Movement's guidelines for the 2026 elections, adopted on 13 August 2026 under President Mehmet Vefa Dag: from political promises to measurable governance results. The wording below is the Movement's own.
Thou shalt put the people first
The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Every municipal budget, programme and development project must be assessed according to its impact on ordinary residents, workers, entrepreneurs, families and vulnerable communities.
Human dignity before political privilege.
Thou shalt fight corruption without compromise
Public money belongs to the public. TRUTH will advocate for transparent procurement, stronger contract monitoring, public reporting and consequences for corruption, fraud and deliberate financial misconduct.
Every rand must deliver value.
Thou shalt make job creation a central priority
Municipalities should use infrastructure programmes, local procurement, skills development, youth programmes and partnerships with businesses and educational institutions to expand employment opportunities.
A job is more than income — it is dignity and independence.
Thou shalt recognise the informal economy
Informal traders, small businesses, street vendors and survivalist entrepreneurs are part of South Africa's economic system. TRUTH will promote practical systems that provide appropriate trading spaces, infrastructure, safety, training, access to finance and pathways for viable businesses to formalise.
Do not criminalise poverty; create pathways to prosperity.
Thou shalt pursue spatial and economic justice
TRUTH will support lawful strategies that expand affordable housing, connect marginalised communities to economic centres, improve public transport and unlock appropriately located land for development.
Where a person lives must not determine whether they can access opportunity.
Thou shalt build reliable and affordable energy systems
TRUTH will support financially and technically responsible investment in local generation, energy efficiency, grid improvements and other lawful energy solutions while protecting vulnerable households from unreasonable tariff burdens.
Energy security is economic security.
Thou shalt turn waste into economic value
TRUTH will promote recycling, composting, organic-waste recovery, appropriate waste-to-energy opportunities and small-business participation in the circular economy.
What we throw away today can become an economic resource tomorrow.
Thou shalt give citizens a voice in the economy
Residents must be participants in local government, not merely recipients of election promises. TRUTH will promote meaningful ward participation, transparent project monitoring, community consultation and greater public visibility of municipal budgets and performance.
No community should be invisible to its government.
Thou shalt govern by measurable results
Every major programme must have a clear objective, responsible authority, budget, timeline and measurable performance indicator. TRUTH will promote regular public reporting on service delivery, infrastructure, finances, revenue collection, water losses, project completion and municipal response times.
If we cannot measure progress, we cannot honestly claim success.
Thou shalt build an economy of dignity, opportunity and accountability
TRUTH will seek to combine economic growth, social responsibility, competent administration and accountable leadership.
Transformation must be felt in people's homes, streets, businesses and communities — not merely written in political documents.
We are not asking you to trust us blindly
Any party can publish a list of values. So we did something else as well: we built a free course on how your municipality works, with no party message in it. It does not tell you who to vote for. It tells you how the machine works, so that you can hold whoever wins to account — including us.
That is what we mean by honest. A party that is for the people gives the people the tools to check on it.
Who is standing in Gauteng
These are the TRUTH candidates listed so far. This is not the full list; more are added as they are confirmed. Photos and phone numbers are on the home page.
| Candidate | Standing for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Zaine Khan | Mayor; also Ward 8 | City of Johannesburg |
| Thabo Peter Moatshe | Mayor | City of Tshwane |
| Thapelo Noko Ngoepe | Mayor | Mogale City |
| Banele Komani | Mayor | Emfuleni |
| Bongane Makopo | Candidate | City of Ekurhuleni |
| Sphamandla James Radebe | Ward 7 councillor | City of Johannesburg |
| Hoosein Khan | Ward 9 councillor | Lenasia, City of Johannesburg |
| Lisa Islam | Ward 71 councillor | Witpoortjie, Lindhaven, Davidsonville and surrounds, City of Johannesburg |
| Omar Khan | Ward 120 councillor | Lenasia South and surrounds, City of Johannesburg |
| Modise Patrick Baloyi | Ward 121 councillor | City of Johannesburg |
| Margaret Hontse Kopane | Ward 94 councillor | City of Tshwane |
Your ward number and your voting station may have changed without you moving house. Confirm yours on elections.org.za or phone the Electoral Commission on 0800 11 8000.
Straight answers
Who should I vote for in Gauteng's 2026 local government elections?
That decision belongs to you. The Truth and Solidarity Movement (TRUTH) asks for your vote because we are for the people, not for the government: public money belongs to the public, every programme must have a budget, a deadline and a result the public can measure, and no election result puts anyone above the law.
What does the Truth and Solidarity Movement stand for?
The rights and liberties of the individual, government that answers to the law and to the people it serves, and the right of every resident to know where public money goes. For the 2026 elections the Movement adopted 10 Governance Commandments: put people first, fight corruption without compromise, create jobs, and govern by measurable results.
What does “for the people, not for the government” mean?
It means government exists to serve residents, not the other way around. In the Movement's own words: human dignity before political privilege. Every municipal budget, programme and project must be judged by what it does for ordinary residents, workers, entrepreneurs, families and vulnerable communities.
How will TRUTH fight corruption in municipalities?
Public money belongs to the public. TRUTH will advocate for transparent procurement, stronger contract monitoring, public reporting and consequences for corruption, fraud and deliberate financial misconduct. The Movement's principle is that every rand must deliver value.
How can I check whether TRUTH keeps its word?
Ask the five questions the Movement's president puts to every TRUTH candidate: What will you change? What will it cost? Who will implement it? When will it be completed? How will the public measure whether you succeeded? TRUTH says it will promote regular public reporting on service delivery, finances and project completion, so that residents can measure the answers.
Who leads the Truth and Solidarity Movement?
Mehmet Vefa Dag is the founder and president of the Truth and Solidarity Movement. He has led it since it took its present name in 2022, and he stands as the Movement's mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town in the 2026 local government elections.
Who are TRUTH's candidates in Gauteng?
Candidates listed so far: Mohamed Zaine Khan (mayoral candidate, City of Johannesburg, also standing in Ward 8), Thabo Peter Moatshe (mayoral candidate, City of Tshwane), Thapelo Noko Ngoepe (mayoral candidate, Mogale City), Banele Komani (mayoral candidate, Emfuleni), Bongane Makopo (City of Ekurhuleni), and ward councillor candidates Sphamandla James Radebe (Johannesburg Ward 7), Hoosein Khan (Johannesburg Ward 9, Lenasia), Lisa Islam (Johannesburg Ward 71), Omar Khan (Johannesburg Ward 120, Lenasia South), Modise Patrick Baloyi (Johannesburg Ward 121) and Margaret Hontse Kopane (Tshwane Ward 94). This is not the full list.
When are the 2026 local government elections, and what must I bring?
South Africa's local government elections are on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Bring your green ID book, smart ID card or valid temporary ID certificate. No ID, no vote. Confirm your voting station on elections.org.za or by phoning the Electoral Commission on 0800 11 8000.
Can I still register to vote in the 2026 local elections?
No. The national voters' roll closed on 7 August 2026, when the election date was proclaimed. You can still confirm whether you are registered and where you must vote on elections.org.za or by phoning the Electoral Commission on 0800 11 8000.
How do I join or help the Truth and Solidarity Movement in Gauteng?
There are three ways: do the free Know Your Vote course and pass it on, host a class for your neighbours, or become a member. Membership is handled by the national Movement and counts everywhere in the country. Details are on the Join us page.
Last updated 30 September 2026. Sources: the Movement's 10 Governance Commandments (published 13 August 2026), its national campaign statement (30 May 2026) and its founding principles. Where the national Movement and this Gauteng page differ in wording, the national text is the authoritative one.