Cape Town – The DA’s internal interviews for its new mayoral candidate has been postponed to an undetermined date, after the appointed ombudsman ruled that the selection panel did not conform to the candidate nomination regulations.
The Cape Town metro has since disputed the ruling, the party’s national spokesperson, Siviwe Gwarube said yesterday.
Candidates for the top job include current mayor Dan Plato, DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela and MP and constituency head for George 1 in the Western Cape, Geordin Hill-Lewis.
“The Fedex agreed to appoint Werner Horn as the Independent Ombudsman,” Gwarube said.
Horn is a member of the Fedex and Deputy Chair of the Federal Legal Commission.
“When the province and the region elected their panel members, they submitted them to the office of the Federal Council Chair for approval. But it has been referred to the ombudsman for adjudication,” she said.
The ombudsman ruled that the panel “did not conform to the candidate nomination regulations in material respects”, Gwarube added.
“The Metro Region has disputed this ruling. The dispute has been sent to the Federal Legal Commission for adjudication. Because this dispute only arose late on Friday April 9, it was not possible to properly adjudicate the dispute before the panel was due to sit on Monday April 12,” Gwarube said.
Vying for the position, Plato said he had twice been the place-holder for a half term.
“I have been a place-holder as a unifier and stabiliser for the DA in the city of Cape Town. I will relish the opportunity to determine the Integrated Development Plan and budget for the City to guide the City and lend my own vision for Cape Town to a five year term,” he said.
Madikizela said the City was not maximising its full potential.
“I don’t believe we are maximising our potential in the City, we are not acting quick enough to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure. I’m passionate about service delivery, and I believe the City needs a person of my calibre to shake things up,” he said.
Lewis said he was running for the position and “refused to accept that our city’s best days are behind it”.
Cape Times