He knows it won’t be easy, but Tshweu Moleme wants to be an agent of change at City Hall.
“I’m the new guy facing off against people who are part of the establishment, who have been around a long time,” said Moleme, one of four candidates vying for two jobs in Ward 2. “I’m the little guy coming in.”
The 35-year-old said as he knocks on doors and introduces himself, most people are saying new blood is needed on city council.
“The average voter, they feel no one ever listens to them,” said the full-time union representative at Casino Rama. “I’m coming in as a change agent, a guy who wants to listen to people.”
Moleme, who has a political science degree from the University of Toronto and developed a passion for local politics since coming to Orillia more than a decade ago, said new ideas are needed.
“It’s important there is younger people at the table,” he said. “I appreciate the ideas, contributions and experience of those who come before us … but things that effect young families like transit and poverty, there has been a big disconnect at council.”
Moleme was upset, for example, when council didn’t green-light a “smart-pay” system for transit users and said their decision not to clear snow from bus stops was “ridiculous.”
He also wants to improve the relationship between the downtown and City Hall.
“I’m a big supporter of local businesses and like seeing them thrive,” said Moleme, whose wife operates a downtown jewellery store. “I do not like seeing store fronts with permanent closed signs ... I’ll do my best to listen to the businesses, community-wide.”
He is happy to see the recreation centre finally nearing completion, but he says the city should be “embarrassed that it took so long, cost so much money, and was so badly managed.”
The first-time candidate said he was unhappy with the way council handled the potential sale of Orillia Power’s distribution company to Hydro One. He said many people are “suspicious” about the deal that was rejected by the Ontario Energy Board but is being re-submitted.
“The Orillia Power file was handled badly in terms of public consultation. I’ll give council credit for trying consultations at the last minute, but that was late and many people did not trust the whole file and how it was handled,” he said.
The number of closed meetings held by council was “disturbing” said Moleme, who grew up in Apartheid-era South Africa.
“My life experience is a big part of why I like to step into issues of social justice,” he says. “I’ve seen what the absence of democracy is like. I’ve seen what being confined to a household is like. I’ve seen poverty; I’ve lived it. The struggles of apartheid most definitely are part of why I want to be involved.”
That involvement has included volunteer roles on the city’s municipal heritage committee and the Couchiching Institute.
Moleme said his family – he and his wife have two boys, aged 13 and 2.5 – is “fully supportive” of his political aspirations. He feels he will be able to juggle his duties and his work.
“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think I could manage it,” he says, noting he is proud of his role “fighting for people” at the casino. That experience, he believes, will be valuable.
“My work experience over the years is mainly catering to the people,” said Moleme. “It’s not just a passion, it’s something I’ve done at a practical level as opposed to just theoretical. I think I can be great contributor at the council table.”
Editor's Note: All candidates in Orillia's municipal election will be profiled in the days ahead. They will be published daily, by ward, in alphabetical order; the mayoralty candidates will also be profiled.
