Durban — The DA said it would start an internal process to replace four councillors, after their recent deployment to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and Parliament.
Among the 11 DA members sworn in at the provincial legislature were two eThekwini Municipality councillors, Shontel de Boer and Sakhile Mngadi, who had to vacate their seats after accepting their redeployments.
The other two councillors, also from eThekwini, were Nicole Bollman from ward 35 in uMhlanga and deputy caucus leader Mzamo Billy, who were both transferred to the National Assembly.
DA caucus leader in eThekwini Thabani Mthethwa said his party would undergo internal processes to replace the colleagues who have left the City to take up new roles in the provincial legislature and Parliament.
For vacancies in the wards, the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) will have to be involved to effect the process of by-elections, he said.
To replace the deputy caucus leader’s position, the party will have to call for nominations from party councillors in the City.
Mthethwa congratulated all four councillors, saying it showed there was quality in the DA caucus of eThekwini.
On why the party opted to field ward councillors since there was no guarantee that the party would retain wards in the by-elections, Mthethwa said the party would never lose by-elections to any party in these wards.
The legacy left by the ward councillors who have gone to Parliament was such that they did a great job under very difficult circumstances. Communities appreciate that, therefore, they will give the DA an opportunity to continue serving them, Mthethwa said.
With the Proportional Representation seat left vacant by Billy, the party was likely to redeploy its provincial deputy leader, Sithembiso Ngema who did not make it back to the legislature.
Ngema, who is from Lamontville township south of Durban, became a councillor after the 2021 local government election.
Mthethwa also congratulated the two party leaders appointed by KZN Premier Thami Ntuli.
The DA’s provincial party leader, Francois Rodgers, and deputy provincial chairperson Martin Meyer were appointed to the Finance and Public Works portfolios respectively.
Mthethwa said the DA in eThekwini sincerely hoped that the newly elected premier and his cabinet would prioritise fixing eThekwini from collapse, working with all their colleagues to fix the mess that eThekwini has become and allocate the necessary resources.
Meanwhile, the ANC has also started a process to appoint a mayor after Mxolisi Kaunda’s removal. Party spokesperson in KZN Mafika Mndebele said the provincial leadership would follow party processes and submit three names to the national leadership which will conduct interviews.
The IEC said Kaunda’s vacancy has already been declared. The new mayor will be elected on Tuesday.
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