Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Democratic Alliance deputy leader Sithembiso Ngema is set to return to eThekwini Municipality as a councillor.
Ngema was one of the 20 party members who applied for the position that was left vacant after the DA deputy caucus leader Mzamo Billy went to the National Assembly after the May 29 general elections.
Ngema has been appointed by the party following the gruelling process, His appointment was confirmed by the party's provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson on Friday. Ngema also confirmed the appointment, saying he was waiting to be called by the Speaker's office for swearing-in.
"Yes I have been appointed but will wait for the City to call me. I think the IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) has been notified,“ Ngema said.
He was a councillor in 2021 but had to resign and take up his seat in the legislature after he was elected to the position of a deputy leader. He failed to be elected again to the legislature after the party received only 11 seats.
Unlike other parties, the DA process of appointing councillors is that members apply and get interviewed before being appointed. In other political parties, to be deemed a candidate, one must be nominated by his or her branch and finally endorsed by ordinary community members within the ward.
There are currently five seats up for grabs in the council and four of them will be filled through by-elections on September 11.
Ward 35 in Durban North was left vacant by Nicole Bollman who went to the National Assembly with Billy while ward 36 became vacant after councillor Shontel De Boer from Umgeni Park went to the provincial legislature.
Sakhile Mngadi from Glenwood (ward 31) also joined the provincial legislature, leaving his ward up for grabs. Ward 34, which included Redhill and areas on the north of Durban, became vacant after the resignation of councillor Bobby Maharaj.
Meanwhile, the campaign for by-elections in these wards and others elsewhere in the province kicked off at the weekend with parties fielding its top leadership during the registration drive by the Electoral Commission of South Africa.
The campaign for the upcoming by-elections is already in full swing in these wards and the party provincial Francois Rodgers has vowed to retain all DA wards and perhaps take others from other political parties to ensure that residents continue to have access to the ongoing delivery of services.
Apart from eThekwini, the DA also has a vacant seat in the KwaDukuza Municipality on the north coast as well as in Umdoni Municipality on the south coast.
Both wards became available after councillors took up positions in national and provincial structures.
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