More than half of the Democratic Alliance’s sitting councillors in eThekwini have been told they will not return as ward candidates after the November local government elections – sparking anger among some who say they were given no reasons for being dropped.
“I’ve worked hard in my ward for years, passed the performance tests which we are subjected to, including meeting fundraising targets for the party, and for them to remove me without giving any reasons is a kick in the teeth after all my hard work,” a DA councillor in Durban told IOL.
His concerns were echoed by several other sitting councillors who told IOL they had also not been given reasons for their exclusion. All asked not to be identified, saying they feared repercussions from the party if they spoke publicly.
However, DA KwaZulu-Natal leader Sithembiso Ngema rejected allegations that councillors had been treated unfairly, saying no councillor was automatically entitled to return after completing a five-year term.
“Councillors serve a five-year term, after which they need to reapply. It’s a fair system that applies to everyone. We are a party of accountability. After five years, a fresh application system kicks in.
“Even I didn’t make it at one stage, despite all my hard work, but I accepted it and had faith in the party. I did not make my feelings public or go to the media. I respected the party’s decision,” Ngema said, adding councillors unhappy with the outcome could approach the party’s ombudsman to appeal the decision.
‘Once you speak out, you have a target on your back’
But another sitting DA councillor said councillors were reluctant to use internal channels because they feared being labelled troublemakers.
“The problem is, once you speak out in the DA, you then have a target on your back. You are seen as a troublemaker, so we are afraid to speak out.
“There is no guarantee we will be brought back, and for many of us this will mean we are without jobs after all the hard work we have put into our wards,” he told IOL.
DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen, however, played down concerns that councillors who were not selected as ward candidates would necessarily disappear from local government, saying many could return to serve through other positions on councils.
“Remember, we are preparing to govern, so most of the councillors who have been removed will be brought back to serve in councils. They come with experience, and this will be needed.
“Yes, there are some who failed to perform and will not be brought back, and they must accept this decision too,” Hoosen said.
With less than six weeks to go before the November 4 local government elections, political parties are finalising their candidates and intensifying campaigns for control of municipalities across the country.
eThekwini remains one of the country’s most fiercely contested metros, with water cuts, infrastructure failures and service delivery emerging as central campaign issues. Nationally, the number of parties contesting the elections has increased sharply, with 547 political parties contesting this year compared with 325 in the 2021 local government elections. The candidate-selection process has also caused turmoil in other parties.
A total of 2,274 prospective candidates linked to 45 political parties were captured on the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s online nomination system, but were not finally submitted before the August 28 deadline. The figure includes 1,794 prospective ward candidates and 480 proportional-representation candidates.
The ANC was among the parties affected, with 181 of its prospective candidates caught up in the submission dispute.
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