After winning a bruising contest on Saturday to lead the Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal, Sithembiso Ngema pleaded for unity and told members to shift focus to the 4 November local government elections.

Ngema, a councillor in eThekwini municipality, defeated Mzamo Billy, a member of parliament in Cape Town, following months of intensive internal campaigning.

He replaced Francois Rodgers — the province’s current finance MEC — who did not contest.

In his victory speech, Ngema said the focus should now shift to preparing for the elections, with targets including winning in eThekwini, KwaDukuza and Umhlathuze.

“We have to unite the province, let us lead by example, we said we want to grow this province, let us lead by example,” he said.

“We said we want to make sure that we look after our activists, our councillors, MPs, MPLs, let us lead by example. It is our job, it is our responsibility to ensure that this province is united, but also to ensure that we work hard to win the municipalities where we have set targets for ourselves,” he said.

Without directly naming the MK Party (uMkhonto WeSizwe Party), which he referred to as the “other party of green T-shirts,” he said the DA would take it head-on.

“As the DA, we are sending a message that we are going to campaign in each and every corner of this province, we are going to campaign in each and every corner of the municipalities. Those who continue to paint a picture that we are a white party, we are a racist party, we are saying they must continue to say that, and we will continue to deliver services to our people.

“Some were saying the DA will never lead in this province, but the DA has got MECs and got a DA-run municipality (uMngeni), and it’s the best performing municipality in this province,” he said. 

He implied the DA would take the battle to Zuma’s doorstep by contesting the elections in the Nkandla local municipality, which is currently run by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

“We are right at the doorstep of (former) President Jacob Zuma in Nkandla because right now we have a [DA student] representative right outside his doorstep. And we are going to make sure that we grow in Nkandla. I have just spoken to the constituency chairperson and said we must make sure that we have got candidates in that municipality, and we will do it,” he added. 

The other leaders elected at the congress are Martin Meyer, who took the deputy leader’s position; Dean Macpherson as the provincial chairperson; Sandile Mnikathi as the first deputy chairperson; Sakhile Mngadi as the second deputy chairperson, and Swelakhe Shelembe as the third deputy chairperson. 

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