From Boardroom To City Hall: Dlevu Sets Sights On Buffalo City

For almost three decades he climbed the corporate ladder, led sophisticated information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, government projects and built businesses from the ground up.

And now, Mkhululi Dlevu, is ready to use what he has learnt over the years in business as well as the public and private sectors to turn the beleaguered Buffalo City Metro around.

This, as the EFF has placed its faith in Dlevu as its mayoral candidate for the November 4 local government elections in an attempt to catapult the red berets towards a first in their thirteen-year existence: to win a municipality.

BCM is an ANC stronghold and remains the only metro where the ruling party governs with a majority. Although the ANC’s electoral support has been dwindling over the years, toppling the party will not be easy.

In his extensive experience over twenty-eight years, Dlevu’s career included working at the State Information Technology Authority (SITA) as account manager and he also led the ICT infrastructure maintenance for the South African Police Services across the country for three years.

He worked with Amathole District Municipality, developing data management and revenue enhancement tools, worked as an ICT consultant for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, while his work with the Eastern Cape Department of Education focused on performance and capacity planning.

He says he also installed ICT infrastructure for old public hospitals for the Gauteng Health Department.

Dlevu also plied his trade for Ukanyo Technologies to build and service the National Lottery ICT network for Uthingo Management, the previous holding company of the national lottery licence.

“I’ve got better turnaround strategies for municipalities which I’ve learnt over the years whether through delivering business consulting projects, project management or as a business analyst."

Getting the basics right

Dlevu, 52, believes the EFF will garner enough votes to be in power. In a wide-ranging interview this week (Monday), Dlevu said they have criss-crossed BCM to consult and listen to communities regarding their challenges.

“We know about their incorrect billing, inconsistent water supply, failing water infrastructure, incomplete and abandoned water projects like the swimming pool in Mdantsane and Water World Fun Park and many of the other failed projects.

“There is no street in Buffalo City that does not have a pothole. But whenever a president visits BCM, potholes are quickly fixed on the route that the president will travel on, which proves that there is capacity, but the overall priority is to steal,” he says.

Tackling crime by installing CCTV cameras

Dlevu says addressing crime would be an EFF government's top priority. They would “install CCTV cameras at every intersection” to deter would-be criminals from breaking the law, while also affecting arrests of those who break the law.

The latest provincial crime statistics, released last week for the first quarter of the year, revealed that while BCM remains a major contributor to serious crime, the region recorded a 3% decline between January and March.

Naturally, installing CCTV cameras at every intersection across all 2 753 square kilometres of BCM – from KuGompo City, Mdantsane, Ntabozuko, Qonce, and Bhisho would not be a cheap exercise.

Sceptics might feel the CCTV cameras project might be too ambitious or a pie in the sky due to the millions of rands that will be needed just to get the project off the ground.

So where would the money come from?

“We will fund the project by using the money that is being stolen now,” he says.

Dlevu understands that he will need partnerships if he wins the mayoral race.

“It will not be an overnight thing. The aim is to have every intersection with CCTV cameras. Private companies already have these cameras where there is a greater concentration of white people."

Illegal immigration

With crime being a huge problem for BCM and the country at large, some people went as far as linking the scourge with illegal immigration.

There have been marches across the country, protesting weak border management and the presence of undocumented immigrants in South Africa. Analysts went as far as to predict that party political views on illegal immigration might affect how well political parties will do in the November elections.

The EFF has been widely criticised for its open borders philosophy and describing violent anti-immigration protests as Afrophobia.

Dlevu highlighted how the EFF donated R15-million to the COVID-19 Solitary Fund, built houses for people, and donated to victims of floods in Mthatha, as examples of how they prioritise South Africans.

Before he can implement his plans, the EFF must first win the highly contested municipal elections. For Dlevu to win the race for the City Hall at KuGompo City, the majority of the 458,559 registered voters in BCM must vote for the EFF.

Already, the UDM has announced party deputy president and member of parliament Nqabayomzi Kwankwa as its candidate while the ANC is yet to decide between incumbent Princess Faku, former deputy minister Nocawe Mafu, former mayoral committee member, Ncedo Kumbaca, and seasoned technocrat Simphiwe Dzengwa.

BCM official opposition party, the DA is yet to announce its mayoral candidate.

Call to reopen factories and building the township economy

Addressing unemployment and promoting entrepreneurship is high on Dlevu’s list of priorities. He believes partnering with the private sector to train unemployed youth through various programmes, including internships, with companies absorbing interns, would go a long way in addressing the unemployment crisis.

Dlevu also wants to reopen factories in Dimbaza and partner with Chinese companies. He also plans to start incubation programmes for budding entrepreneurs as he believes the township economy should be prioritised.

“Currently, there is mismanagement and a lack of foresight to see what can make this city better. There is so much inability to open the economy and township economy,” he said.

After matriculating from Sakhisizwe High School in Gqeberha, Dlevu enrolled for a national diploma in electrical engineering at the then Port Elizabeth Techikon (now Nelson Mandela University) and later Cape Technikon (now Cape Peninsula University of Technology) but never graduated.

He holds a diploma in A+ Support Engineering from Damelin Computer School and a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) qualification. His professional development also includes training in Cisco Sales Expert, HP Partner Fundamentals and Microsoft Project Management.

Dlevu said they would work to implement the EFF manifesto by insourcing contract workers, fight for busy clinics to open 24 hours and prioritise education.

“Why must we outsource when we can hire cleaners and ensure that they have proper benefits?”

Dlevu is also an accomplished martial arts instructor as he has honours in judo. As an entrepreneur, he has been involved in several businesses, including CNT Service Plant and Tool Hire, Bolunga Systems, Dlevu Bosman Group and Bosman Family Farm.

As he gears himself for City Hall, Dlevu says he has already relinquished control of most of his businesses.

“By next month I won’t own any business.”

HIS POLITICS SIDE BAR

HIS EARLY LIFE

As a child his father Mbuyiselo Bosman, an ANC activist in Gqeberha, was constantly hunted by the police during the apartheid regime for his activism. It was only after his family left Gqeberha for Middelburg, his maternal home, where he too became an activist like his father.

He became involved in student politics at St Boniface where he played a role in establishing the Students’ Representative Council before he was booted out after clashing with school authorities in 1989.

Dlevu later rose through the EFF ranks, serving as the branch chairperson between 2017 and 2019, before being elected to the provincial leadership structure for the 2018-2022 term. In 2024, he was elected to the EFF central command team – the party’s highest decision-making body.