Durban - Francois Rodgers will lead the DA in KZN. Rodgers, 59, of Kokstad, a member of the provincial legislature, was elected the leader during the party's provincial congress at the Durban ICC on Saturday. He previously held the position of provincial legislature chief whip.
Rodgers succeeded Zwakele Mncwango, who declined to run for a third term as provincial leader.
The grandfather of one contested against Nicole Graham, the eThekwini caucus leader, and Emmanuel Mhlongo, eThekwini deputy caucus leader. He will lead the party with MPL Chris Pappas, who is now the deputy leader in KZN, and MP Dean Macpherson, the party's chairperson.
Shehana Kajee, Elma Rabe and Sithembiso Ngema were elected deputy chairpersons.
Rodgers grew up in Pietermaritzburg. He attended Cowan House Preparatory School and then Maritzburg College. After matriculating, he attended Wits University where he studied public administration and municipal finance. In 1987, the father of two, moved to Kokstad to become a businessman.
"I have always had a passion for politics and being active in the fight for a better South Africa. I become a councillor in 1996, the first DA councillor in the Kokstad municipality," said Rodgers.
He said he was humbled that he was selected to lead the DA in KZN and that he respected the outcome of the congress – with three white males in top leadership positions. Rodgers said the DA provincial congress had more than 500 voting delegates, of which 60% were isiZulu-speaking.
"The result was indeed a democratic process and was the will of the voting delegates. To deny delegates this right by manipulating an outcome would be an absolute violation of their democratic rights. I respect the outcome."
He said he and Pappas have rural backgrounds and a proven record of accomplishment of convincing all voters, across all demographics, that the DA was an alternative to the ANC.
"The DA leadership will not change until after the 2021 election, where all caucus members will participate in electing leadership. The DA has been the only effective voice of opposition in eThekwini, exposing corruption and failed service delivery. The DA manifesto for local government will now become the alternative to the residents of the city, giving hope to an otherwise failed government under the ANC."
With the IFP being the official opposition in KZN, Rogers said the 2021 elections were centred on local government and this had no bearing on the official opposition status. But the DA would work towards the 2024 general election.
"With the collapse of the NFP resulting in the IFP taking over the official opposition, it allows the DA to build a strategy to regain that status."
The Post