DA in seach for new Joburg Caucus leader after Funzi Ngobeni exit

Former Joburg Finance MMC Funzela Ngobeni. Picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA)

Former Joburg Finance MMC Funzela Ngobeni. Picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Mar 2, 2020

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Johannesburg - The DA in the City of Johannesburg has accepted former caucus leader Funzi Ngobeni's exit from the party. Ngobeni will be joining former Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba's People's Movement political party. 

Mashaba and former DA leader Mmusi Maimane dumped the party last year in the wake of Helen Zille being appointed as the party's federal council chairperson.

On Monday, Mashaba also announced that former DA chief executive Paul Boughey, was working with the new party.

The DA Joburg Caucus said in a statement that they thanked Ngoveni for his contributions to the party and leading the caucus. 

"It is with regret that we note and accept the resignation of Cllr Funzi Ngobeni, as a member of the Democratic Alliance and the Caucus Leader of the DA Johannesburg Caucus. We thank Cllr Funzi Ngobeni for his contribution in leading the DA Johannesburg Caucus as a strong opposition in the City of Johannesburg Council. We wish Cllr Funzi Ngobeni all the best in his future endeavours," said Councillor Gert Niemand, the party's Joburg Caucus chairperson.

Niemand said they remained focused and united. 

"The Caucus with the support of the Federal Executive have initiated a process to elect a new Caucus Leader in accordance with the provisions of our Caucus Rules and relevant Party guidelines. We would like to reassure the residents of Johannesburg that the DA continues to serve the residents of Johannesburg with honor as elected Councillors in the City of Johannesburg Council," he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, Mashaba said Ngobeni would be leading the People's Movement's efforts to build ground roots support ahead of the formation of a new party.

"He will be leading our essential campaign to develop wall-to-wall structures on the ground in the communities, that will carry our offer to the front doors of South Africans. "

"The Democratic Alliance is disappointed by the resignation of DA caucus leader in the city of Johannesburg and DA Johannesburg regional chairperson, Funzela Ngobeni, and the party wishes him well in his new endeavours," the DA leader in Gauteng, John Moodey, said.

He thanked Ngobeni for his dedication to the party and leading the DA Caucus during October 2019 and February 2020.

Moodey said the deputy regional chairman in Gauteng, Tsepo Mhlongo, would take over from Ngobeni in the interim until a chairperson was elected.

IOL and African News Agency

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