Chris Pappas will be sworn in as the sole Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor in KwaZulu-Natal at the uMngeni local municipality’s inauguration ceremony on Friday.
The DA achieved a clean sweep in the elections, securing a majority in the council based in Howick, KZN’s midlands. This success marks a significant shift in power, as the DA now leads the municipality previously governed by the ANC.
The municipality includes the township of eMpophomeni and residential areas such as Hilton and Nottingham Road, along with surrounding villages and farming communities.
Pappas, who first won the mayoralty in the 2021 municipal elections by just 42 votes, will continue in the role. This victory represented the DA’s first entry into local governance in the province.
Dean Macpherson, the DA’s provincial chairperson, noted the party’s progress among black voters, stating, “In the four, 100% black township wards in the municipality, the DA won every single one of them with a commanding majority. We will continue with our mission to deliver for all residents in townships, rural and suburban areas. uMngeni will continue to be a beacon of hope in KZN.”
Of the 25 council seats, the DA secured 15, while the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, became the official opposition with five seats. The ANC took four seats, with the remaining seat going to the IFP.
In addition to its success in uMngeni, the DA increased its councillor numbers from 177 in 2021 to 201 following the recent elections. The party is also poised to join the government in several hung councils across the province.
uMngeni will be the first municipality to hold its inauguration in KZN, with other councils set to swear in their new leadership in the coming week.
