GQEBERHA – The past of Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate William Basil Harington, now known as Bill Harington, has come under renewed scrutiny following his nomination for the 2026 local government elections.

Harington was convicted of the murder of ANC member Mbongeni Jama, who was killed on 24 February 1991.

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) official Amnesty Committee record, Harington and two co-accused were convicted of Jama’s murder and initially sentenced to eight, six and eight years’ imprisonment respectively.

On appeal, Harington’s sentence was increased to 18 years’ imprisonment. He ultimately served more than 13 years.

Harington said he understood why residents might have questions about his past and had never tried to hide it.

“I understand completely that residents may have questions about my past. I do not expect anybody to ignore it and I have never tried to hide it. I made serious mistakes in my younger years; I was convicted, I accepted responsibility and I served my sentence. That part of my life is part of my history, but it is not the entirety of who I am today,” he said.

Harington joined the police service at 18 years old, shortly after matriculating. After his release from prison, he said he built a career in transport, distribution, sales, warehousing and occupational health and safety.

He became a husband and father, committed his life to Christ and eventually entered public service.

“My life has not followed a perfect straight line. I believe the experiences, including the difficult ones, have helped shape the person I am today. I am not asking anyone to forget my past. I am asking them to consider the whole story,” he said.

The VF Plus was aware of his conviction when he joined the party.

Experience in local government

Harington has served on the Nelson Mandela Bay Council since 2021, including as Chief Whip of Council from 21 September 2022 to 26 May 2023 during the coalition period. He currently serves as VF Plus caucus leader.

“I have experienced municipal government from the inside. I have seen both what can be achieved when political parties cooperate and what happens when political interests, poor administration and a lack of accountability get in the way of service delivery,” he said.

The VF Plus is offering a government focused on competent service delivery, accountability, financial discipline, economic growth and the protection of every resident’s rights.

Why he wants to be mayor

Harington said he was putting himself forward because he believed Nelson Mandela Bay needed a stronger focus on basic municipal services, accountability and restoring residents’ trust.

“I am not putting myself forward because I believe a mayor should simply occupy an office. I am doing it because I believe Nelson Mandela Bay needs a stronger focus on the basics,” Harington said.

“If elected, my approach would focus on stronger accountability for officials, proper consequence management, better financial discipline and measurable targets for service delivery. We need clean governance, functioning infrastructure, reliable water and electricity, safer communities, proper financial management and an environment in which businesses can invest and create employment opportunities,” he said.

The VF Plus does not claim to have all the answers, Harington said, but is prepared to take responsibility, listen to residents and work with anyone who sincerely wants to rebuild NMB.

Community involvement

Harington’s community clean-up initiatives have focused on illegal dumping and neglected public spaces.

“My involvement is rooted in the belief that residents should not have to accept dirty, neglected public spaces as normal,” Harington said.

He further explained that addressing illegal dumping requires enforcement, education and reliable municipal services, with consequences for those who dump waste illegally and accessible disposal alternatives for residents.

Economy and unemployment

Harington said NMB had significant potential because of its port, industrial capacity, tourism assets, universities, businesses and communities.

“Our challenge is to ensure that municipal government creates an environment in which those assets can flourish rather than becoming an obstacle,” he said.

Harington acknowledged that a municipality could not simply create enough permanent jobs but said it had to create the conditions in which the private sector, entrepreneurs and investors could create sustainable employment.

His approach includes making NMB attractive to investors through reliable utilities and faster municipal processes, reducing unnecessary red tape and pursuing a structured investment programme that actively approaches investors in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, the automotive industry, tourism, agriculture, renewable energy and the harbour economy.

He also stressed proper management of municipal procurement and infrastructure spending, and connecting young people with opportunities through skills development, apprenticeships, internships and partnerships with businesses and training institutions.

Nationally, South Africa lost 95,000 formal non-agricultural sector jobs between June 2025 and June 2026, according to Statistics South Africa. Harington said this showed how municipalities must create a local environment that supports rather than discourages economic activity.

Working across party lines

Harington said you cannot govern a diverse municipality like Nelson Mandela Bay by expecting everyone to agree with you. He believes in cooperation where it serves residents, while remaining firm on VF Plus principles.

As a councillor, “I already worked with people from different political parties. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree strongly. That is democracy,” he said.

He said he would support proposals from any party that improve water provision, roads, electricity, financial management, safety or economic development, while opposing decisions harmful to residents or contrary to VF Plus principles.

“Coalition or multi-party government should not mean that parties surrender their identities or principles. It should mean that we find common ground where possible, negotiate honestly, respect one another and put the interests of Nelson Mandela Bay residents first,” Harington added.

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