Chris Pappas won't run for KZN DA leader, his future at uMngeni Municipality also not certain
uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas says he won't contest the position of DA KZN leader next year.
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The popular mayor of uMngeni Local Municipality, Chris Pappas, has ruled himself out of contesting for a top job as the party goes to a provincial elective congress next year.
Even his possible return as the mayor of uMngeni Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal is uncertain.
Pappas stated that he will not be contesting for the position of DA leader in the party's provincial elective congress which takes place in four months.
In a wide-ranging interview, he spoke to The Mercury about the work done to improve service delivery, his future in politics, and other issues.
Speaking about the upcoming DA KZN elective conference, he stated that while he has been approached to stand, he will not be contesting. He said, “No, I will not be contesting.”
Pappas expressed that he is slowly losing interest in politics, stating that his long-term future lies in a government department where he could help deliver services.
“I don’t want to say I don’t like politics, but politics does not interest me. Jostling for positions and managing political organisations, I think I studied town planning because I like development, which is a space where I want to be in.”
He also mentioned that even his return to uMngeni was not guaranteed, even if the DA were to retain control of the municipality. The application for the post of mayor of uMngeni has recently closed. When asked where he had applied, he said, “We will see.”
“In the position that I have been in, I have learned a lot because of the interesting government processes and the issues that I find in getting things done. I was chatting to one of our officials yesterday who said I would make a good administrator in Cogta (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) because I understand government processes and how to get things done better than most officials.”
“Something that isn’t the direction I want to move in my career is to become an administrator working in government or become some sort of practical adviser to politicians to be able to troubleshoot and get things done. I want to get things done. I see what happens in provincial and national government; it’s all talk there, but at local government, things get done.”