In a recent interview with the “Cape Times,” Fadiel Adams, President of the National Coloured Congress (NCC), outlined the party’s top priorities as employment, crime, education, health, and land restitution, ahead of the May 29 elections. Adams emphasized the importance of restoring land to the coloured community, stating, “We are here for the return of coloureds to their homes, the land where they were evicted. We are here for land restitution.”
The NCC, which has not officially named Adams as a premier candidate, seeks to ensure inclusive representation.
“We want a guarantee in the new South Africa that a coloured child too has a place in the sun. We want to be included in every sphere of government,” Adams declared.
Despite not having traditional political origins, Adams, who grew up in Lavender Hills, attributes his engagement in politics to a viral social media moment after an interview outside the Mitchells Plain court.
“That 60-second interview went viral. When we were done, we decided to open a political party. No planning was involved, we just formed the party,” he explained.
Adams openly discusses his past struggles with drugs and gang involvement, proudly noting 18 years of sobriety. He has also faced legal challenges; the Equality Court deemed his social media posts about Cape Town manager Lungelo Mbandazayo racially offensive, though he has since apologized and expressed respect for the courts.
The NCC, self-funded and grassroots in nature, aims to secure multiple seats in both the Western Cape provincial legislature and Parliament, relying solely on member contributions without external funding.
Highlighting the challenges faced by the coloured community, Adams criticized the Democratic Alliance (DA) for its handling of government resources. He alleged corruption within the DA, particularly in a case involving a R500 million emergency tender for repairing staircases on council flats.
“We laid criminal charges and eight people are in court. No party can claim to have done that against the DA, which speaks of itself as presiding on clean audits. We have exposed them as liars,” Adams asserted.
The NCC campaigns on a platform of direct action and community engagement, eschewing traditional campaign methods like posters and food parcels. Adams stressed the importance of representing the specific needs of the coloured community, often overlooked by other political entities. “The coloureds never had a formation that stands up for it,” he remarked, illustrating the party’s commitment to advocating for priority in low-cost housing allocations, essential service provision, and employment opportunities for the coloured community.
Despite the challenges, Adams remains optimistic about the party’s impact and its reception within the community, underscoring a persistent need for genuine representation and advocacy.
