Mayor, Midvaal

A deep love for South Africa, the desire to serve his community and country, and a determination to be a part of solving the problems that affect society and that hamper economic growth are what drive Bongani Baloyi to look beyond his own life to helping the greater South Africa.

As mayor of Midvaal, the only DA governed municipality in Gauteng, Baloyi sees his greatest challenge as balancing the community’s expectations with reality due to limited resources.

At 27, Baloyi is one of the youngest mayors in the country. He was elected councillor in 2011 and was appointed a member of the mayoral committee responsible for housing and development planning, which gave him significant exposure to the needs of communities.

“Unemployment is South Africa’s biggest obstacle. We need to grow our economy so we can create more jobs and ensure that every person can enjoy a dignified and quality life,” he says.

Baloyi believes that in life, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you work hard for. He clearly lives this mantra.

“My work is demanding and at times exhausting, but I find it fulfilling because of the visible material changes we’ve been able to make in the lives of people in our communities. This keeps me inspired to do more.”
— Linda Doke

Website: da.org.za