City of uMhlathuze deputy mayor Christo Botha, left, seen with mayor Xolani Ngwezi. Botha passed away this week after a short illness.
Image: Supplied
The death of deputy mayor of the City of uMhlathuze, Christo Botha, has been described as a great loss for his party, the Democratic Alliance and the municipality as a whole.
Botha, who passed away this week after a short illness, had recently been announced as the DA's mayoral candidate for uMhlathuze (Richards Bay) for the November local government elections. The DA is currently in a coalition government with the IFP to run the City of uMhlathuze.
In a statement, the DA's new KwaZulu-Natal leader Sithembiso Ngema said the party extended its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Botha.
“The DA has lost not only a deputy mayor but an outstanding leader and servant of the people who was going to contest as our mayoral candidate in the upcoming local government elections. He will forever be remembered for his commitment to serving the people of uMhlathuze and the DA. We mourn with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” said the statement.
The Office of the municipal Speaker said: “This is a devastating loss for the City of uMhlathuze municipality, the council, and the broader community. Councillor Botha has been a dedicated partner in the uMhlathuze local government since assuming office; he served the municipality and the residents with commitment, integrity, and dedication.”
It said the Mayor Xolani Ngwezi, together with the Speaker Tobias Gumede, extended their heartfelt condolences to the Botha family, his political home, the DA, and his friends and staff.
Gumede said, “We have just heard about the passing of Botha; we are truly mourning with his friend, family, and his party, the DA. May his soul rest in peace.”
Ngwezi, in a statement from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) uMhlathuze Constituency, said Botha was a committed servant of the people, a disciplined leader, and a dedicated community activist who devoted many years of his life to improving the lives of the people of uMhlathuze and surrounding communities.
“As the IFP uMhlathuze Constituency, we had the honour of working closely with Cllr Botha following the formation of the IFP-led coalition government in 2021. During this period, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, maturity, and commitment to stable governance and effective service delivery for the benefit of all residents of the City of uMhlathuze.
“Cllr Botha served the people diligently as a councillor from 2011 under the IFP and later continued his public service under the Democratic Alliance from 2016 until his untimely passing. He will be remembered for his calm leadership, humility, willingness to work across political lines, and unwavering commitment to the development of our municipality. ”
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