Ellen Pakkies has entered the race to become Cape Town’s next mayor, saying her campaign is rooted in the daily pain caused by drugs and gangsterism in working-class communities. She is standing as the National Coloured Congress’ mayoral candidate and says her focus will be on safer neighbourhoods and stronger support for families in crisis.

Pakkies is widely known across South Africa after the 2007 killing of her drug-addicted son, a case that drew national attention to the devastating grip of tik and gangsterism on the Cape Flats. Since then, she has become an outspoken activist, using her story to highlight the lack of support available to mothers and communities dealing with addiction and violence.

A Campaign Built on Lived Experience

Pakkies said her decision to run is about helping families before they reach breaking point. Speaking to Daily Voice, she said she knows first-hand what drugs and gangsterism do inside a home and wants to use that experience to support others facing the same nightmare.

She said her lived experience gives her a direct view of the challenges people face every day, especially in areas where residents feel ignored by those in power. Her message is aimed squarely at mothers, children and communities who believe their struggles have been pushed aside for too long.

Drugs, Rehab and Jobs on Her Agenda

Pakkies’ key priorities include cracking down on drug dens, expanding access to rehabilitation services and pushing for stronger social development in vulnerable communities. She has also called for more job opportunities, arguing that young people need real alternatives if the cycle of addiction and crime is to be broken.

That combination of enforcement and social support is central to her pitch. She says Cape Town needs practical action, not empty talk, and wants local voices and community-led solutions to shape the city’s response to the drug crisis.

Symbolism and Political Intent

Her candidacy has also been framed as symbolic by party leader Fadiel Adams, who said Pakkies represents the suffering of Cape Flats mothers and families living through systemic failure. He said the party is unapologetic about choosing a figure so closely linked to the pain caused by drugs and gangsterism.

For Pakkies, though, the campaign is not only symbolic. It is a direct attempt to turn personal trauma into public action in a city still battling deep social scars.