By-election battle lines drawn

Wandisile Ngeyi, 48, will be running for the DA.

Only the DA has so far named its candidate to contest the Ward 4 by-election, which will be held on Wednesday August 2.

The ward includes Phoenix, Milnerton Ridge, Royal Ascot, Joe Slovo, Sunset Beach, Summer Greens, Montague Gardens, parts of Marconi Beam and parts of Milnerton.

The councillor’s seat is vacant due to the removal of the DA’s Thando Jafta who was suspended after about four months in office following complaints about his unavailability (“Ward 4 DA councillor suspended from caucus,” Tabletalk, December 7, 2016).

The deadline for parties to hand in the names of their candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is Monday July 10.

IEC provincial electoral officer, Reverend Courtney Sampson said that things are on track. “We have concluded all our registration activities on Friday June 30 with Proclamation of the By-Election in the Provincial Gazette. The voters roll will be certified (tomorrow) Thursday July 6. Candidate nomination opened on Friday June 30. So far no parties have made a submission.”

Wandisile Ngeyi, 48, will be running for the DA. He is a teacher at Intsebenziswano Senior Secondary School in Philippi.

Mr Ngeyi has been in teaching for over 20 years and says he loves a challenge.

“Ward 4 looks like it will be a very big challenge, but on the other hand, I enjoy challenges. With the unfortunate incidences happening in the Joe Slovo and Phoenix areas, we need to start being proactive,” said Mr Ngeyi, referring the the recent unrest in Joe Slovo.

“We can’t wait for things to get really bad before we start resolving the issues that these communities face.

“Our ward committee is dead and we need to revive it soon so that the people can feel like they have a voice,” said Mr Ngeyi.

Ferlon Christians, a member of the provincial legislature representing the ACDP, said thy would be concluding interviews with potential candidates this week.

EFF provincial chairperson, Bernard Joseph, said they would be having a meeting this weekend where a candidate would be decided upon.

Spokesperson for the ANC in the Western Cape, Yonela Diko, said: “Well, the ANC is currently focusing on the national policy conference. On Monday, we will then be able to look at the possible candidates and we will make our decision.”

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