Cape Town-Educated Politician Turns New York Politics Upside Down After Stunning Democratic Victory

• Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old politician who attended St George's Grammar School in Cape Town during the late 1990s, has won the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor
• The Ugandan-born candidate defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo using a grassroots campaign funded by small donations and powered by social media
• South African political experts believe Mamdani's "people-first" approach and focus on affordable housing and healthcare offers important lessons for Cape Town's challenges

A young politician with Cape Town roots has just pulled off one of the biggest political upsets in recent American history by winning the Democratic nomination to become New York City's next mayor.

According to the New York Assembly, Zohran Mamdani, who spent several years as a primary school student in Cape Town, defeated the heavily favoured former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a victory that has shocked the political establishment.

The 33-year-old candidate attended St George's Grammar School in Mowbray from 1996 to 1998 when his father, academic Mahmood Mamdani, was working as director of the Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town. During his time at the school, young Zohran made headlines when asked about his race in class, responding "mustard" when his classmates answered "white," "black," or "coloured."

From Cape Town classrooms to New York politics

According to Wikipedia, Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, but moved with his family to Cape Town when he was five years old. His family later relocated to New York when he was seven, where he would eventually build his political career. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in Africana studies and became an American citizen in 2018.

The young politician is also a Shia Muslim who married Syrian American artist Rama Duwaji earlier this year. His mother is award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair, famous for movies like Monsoon Wedding and Mississippi Masala, and his father remains a prominent academic known for his work on decolonising university curricula.

Grassroots campaign shakes up establishment

Mamdani's campaign was built on rejecting corporate donations and instead relying on over 22,000 volunteers who knocked on half a million doors across New York. His team used modern technology and social media platforms like TikTok to spread their message of making the city affordable for all New Yorkers.

Former South African member of paliarment Faiez Jacobs, described him as "a real people's person" who represents a return to authentic politics. Jacobs believes Mamdani's approach offers valuable lessons for South African cities like Cape Town, which face similar challenges with housing, healthcare, and transport affordability.

Lessons for South African politics

Jacobs explained that Mamdani's focus on "bread and butter issues" rather than identity politics could work well in Cape Town. He pointed out that both cities struggle with unaffordable housing, with working people unable to buy homes and basic services becoming increasingly expensive.

The campaign promises that won over New York voters included universal childcare, free public transport, affordable housing, and higher minimum wages - all funded through increased taxes on wealthy residents. These progressive policies earned endorsements from major political figures including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders.

Political experts praise authentic approach

Jacobs emphasised that Mamdani's success came from focusing on real issues affecting ordinary people rather than engaging in personality politics or grandstanding. The candidate's message of making politics work for everyone, not just the wealthy elite, resonated with voters who were tired of traditional politicians.

If elected in November's general election, Mamdani would become New York's first Muslim mayor and would control one of the largest city budgets in the world. His victory demonstrates how grassroots organising and authentic messaging can overcome well-funded establishment candidates.

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Source: Briefly News