Chris Masango Ward 9, Lenasia Ext 13, Zone 2
Married with six children, Cde Chris has been living in the Ward for 28 years. “I am an activist and joined the ANC after I was persuaded by its policies and principles, which agrees with my standing personal principle of serving the people.”
He joined the ANC and rose through the ranks. “I went to political school and was also a Deputy Secretary for three terms. In that process, I was organising branch-related programs including mass mobilisation to maintain and grow the branch, which was losing members”.
“My vision is to see the branch attracting more of the Indian community”.
He has served in three schools as an SGB member, (one as SGB Chair for 4 years) and served as the Lenasia schooler transport convener. “Currently, I am the Clinic Chairperson of Ext 13 Clinic”.
Cde Chris has adopted three different families and he helps by buying them food every three months and a once-off buying of school uniforms for the same families.
“I have also helped people in my community to register their own businesses and those are from all the racial groups within the Ward. I have a good relationship with the ward-based schools, where I recently helped youth be employed as Covid-19 brigades”.
He is the current Branch Secretary serving his second term.
“My first encounter with the ANC was in 1985 with my late father who was helping the members of the Umkhonto WeSiswe fighters with medication in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where he was working as a health assistant”.
Cde Chris launched Leagues and Alliances in 2013 as the Branch Deputy Secretary and as a mobiliser, he “led the SACP, SANCO, YCL ANC Women’s League and the Youth League.
What are the issues in the Ward?
“The challenges in the Ward include unemployment, drugs, crime, and service-delivery related issues”.
What solutions and proposals will he take to Council?
“I will look at the outstanding IDP-related programs and submit these to the council for its finalisation”.
How has he positively contributed to the community?
I have led and championed a project of buying and distributing water bottles, cold drinks, and snacks to the elderly during their SASSA payments. I have also facilitated more than 23 youth to be currently employed at local secondary and primary schools and helped to register more than 220 unemployed and the elderly to receive food parcels from the Dept. of Social Development”.
What inspires Chris to continue with ANC activism?
“I am a resident in a ward which was predominantly Indian before- now we are living together in harmony. It reminds me of the constitutionality of the ANC on the stance of non-racialism, non-sexism, for a democratic, prosperous society. This keeps and encourages my activism.”