Build One SA on the hunt for 400 ‘passionate, skilled, and ethical’ candidates

• Mmusi Maimane’s BOSA wants to recruit 400 “passionate, skilled, and ethical” candidates.
• The process is aimed at improving the quality of elected representatives in government and their relationship with the public.
• It starts next week.

Mmusi Maimane’s Build One South Africa (BOSA) has unveiled the party’s process to recruit qualified members ahead of the 2024 general elections.

He said the party, which was launched last year, would start the nationwide recruitment process next week to recruit 400 candidates who are “passionate, skilled, and ethical”.

According to the party, the process was aimed at improving the quality of elected representatives in government and their relationship with the public.

In a statement on Wednesday, Maimane said the process would include interviewing those who are interested. One thousand signatures from the community are needed to endorse someone’s candidacy.

“This ensures public participation in who should become candidates as one is required to be endorsed and wanted by the community or constituency,” he said.

The process will also include an online platform where the biographical details of the candidate will be made public for people to view and comment on. It will be launched virtually and in communities to allow all South Africans to volunteer as candidates and nominate leaders of their choice.

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According to Maimane, BOSA will also incorporate a recall mechanism where members of the party will be instrumental “in recalling candidates who are no longer fit for purpose corrupt, dishonest and who no longer serve the people”.

“It takes 1 000 signatures to gain legitimacy and 1 000 signatures to trigger the recall clause. For example, if a community believes that a candidate has acted against the values and ethos of BOSA through their conduct, then they can file a petition detailing those infractions, gather 1 000 signatures, and bring that complaint to the review panel who will have to investigate those allegations and bring that candidate in front of a disciplinary process.” 

Maimane added that the extensive recruitment process was to ensure that “each candidate is properly vetted so that only suitable candidates end up on the ballot with the support of their constituency and the endorsement of BOSA”.

“By introducing a rigorous and professional recruitment process, we hope to recruit the most talented South Africans to become members of Parliament,” he said.

BOSA will also embark on a national tour, “with the intention of engaging communities about the kind of leadership they want, who those leaders are, and meeting with those leaders on the ground”.