The new leader of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal Sithembiso Ngema is congratulated by DA members after his election at the party's elective congress on Saturday in Durban.
Image: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers
The newly elected leadership of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has vowed to “take on” the MKP on the ground as the party looks to consolidate its gains and attract new voters.
Sithembiso Ngema was elected as the leader of the DA, succeeding Francois Rogers, who decided not to seek another term.
Martin Meyer was elected as the DA's deputy leader during the party’s elective conference held in Durban this week.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson retained his post as provincial chairperson. The newly elected leadership stated that the work by its deployees in the provincial government under the Government of Provincial Unity, as well as the governance of uMngeni and the City of uMhlathuze, where it co-governs, isan indication to the people of the province that the DA will deliver.
The party governs uMngeni under Mayor Chris Pappas, who is rumoured not to return to the post after the local government elections. Meyer expressed gratitude to the delegates and his party for their trust in him, acknowledging the great responsibilities that come with the role.
“The new leadership will start its work today to ensure that we are ready to gov-ern in more than one municipality in the province, whilst playing our vital role in the GPU. I believe this team has a rich diversity of views and talents that will complement each other, allowing us to maintain the voters we have while showing good growth by attracting many new voters,” he said.
“I am dedicating my win to (uMhlathuze) Deputy Mayor Christo Botha, who is very ill at the moment. He is the one that nominated me for the position, and over so many years, his faith in me, along with his advice and support, has helped me tremendously,” he told TheMercury.
Speaking on their plans going into the local government elections, he added, “We will use the example of governance in KZN, both in uMngeni and provincially, as well as the good work done in our co-governed City of uMhlathuze to allow the people of KZN to see the DA difference.
“We will do this, as the new leader has given us our marching orders, by going door-to-door on the ground, reaching out to where the people of KZN are, and taking the MKP head-on.”
Ngema stated that he has built strong relationships with many structures, including traditional leadership.
“I will continue travelling this province, engaging our communities, supporting our branches and councillors, and working every day to help grow and strengthen this organisation. When our people are supported, when our branches are strong, and when we work together with focus and discipline, we will succeed.”
“As I said, we have already built relationships with amakhosi and izinduna, but most importantly, we have a task ahead of us to ensure that we strengthen that relationship. Since 2013, we have visited iNkosi Nyazilwezulu Shembe in Ward 100 in an area called Madumbe, and we have never looked back because that relationship still stands.”
“We have engaged businesses, rate-payers’ associations, church leaders, and all other community organisations to ensure that we move forward together to achieve positive goals and to win our targeted municipalities,” he said.
Political analyst Professor Musa Xulu commented on the challenges ahead for the new leadership and said Ngema has to be more publicly visible going forward.
“In the days leading to the conference, Ngema had been very open about his close relationship with Francois Rogers. His capacity to attract voters will be very limited, as his obscurity may undermine his political appeal outside of the DA’s traditional support base.”
Ngema’s rise in the DA ranks has been meteoric. His biography shows that he has been climbing the ranks since 2006,when he first joined as an activist under the Ilembe constituency.
In 2007/2008, he moved to the Dur-ban Central constituency and continued his work as a party activist until 2011,when he was elected as the PR Councillor in eThekwini, assigned to Wards 74 and75 under the South Durban constituency.
In 2021, he was elected alongside leader Francois Rogers as one of the deputy chairpersons. In 2023, Rogers was re-elected as leader, and Ngema was elected as deputy leader.
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