Build One South Africa (BOSA) announced national spokesperson Roger Solomons as its mayoral candidate for Cape Town on Saturday [1].
The move marks the first time BOSA will contest local government elections, positioning the party as a challenger to the Democratic Alliance's two-decade hold on the city [2].
Party leader Dr. Mmusi Maimane introduced Solomons during an event at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town [3]. The announcement comes four months before the local government elections scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026 [1], [4].
Solomons intends to focus his campaign on the city's affordability crisis [5]. He said that clean audits in municipal governance do not necessarily translate to shared progress for all residents [6].
BOSA is entering the race as a new political force in the region. The party aims to disrupt the established political order in Cape Town, a city that has remained under the control of the Democratic Alliance for approximately 20 years [2].
By fielding Solomons, BOSA is attempting to pivot from a national presence to a local administrative role. The campaign will focus on the gap between official financial reporting and the lived experience of citizens struggling with the cost of living [5], [6].
“BOSA is contesting the local government elections for the first time.”
The entry of BOSA into the Cape Town mayoral race introduces a new variable into a city long dominated by a single party. By focusing on the 'affordability crisis' rather than just administrative efficiency, BOSA is attempting to capture a demographic of voters who feel that the city's fiscal stability has not improved their daily economic reality.
