Who will succeed Francois Rodgers as DA leader in KZN?
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal will have a new provincial leader after Francois Rodgers announced his retirement from politics in 2029.
Rodgers, the current Finance MEC under the Government of Provincial Unity has confirmed his unavailability for a third term as the party prepares to hold an elective conference this year. Although the date has not been announced, the discussions and the speculation on who will replace him have started.
On Monday, Rodgers said he will not be available for any position when the province goes to the elective conference as he has decided to retire from politics.
“I will not be making myself available for any position at the provincial congress,” said Rodgers.
He was born and raised in Pietermaritzburg 64 years ago but began his political career as a lone DA councillor in the Greater Kokstad municipality in KwaZulu-Natal in 1996. He rose through the party ranks which saw him being elected to parliament and ultimately rewarded with the provincial deputy leader’s position in 2012.
However, it was in 2018 where he started showing signs of climbing up the DA leadership ladder that he became the party’s provincial chairperson serving alongside the then party provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango. In 2021, Rodgers was elected as the provincial leader and was re-elected in 2023.
With the senior leaders of the party in the province including Umngeni mayor Chris Pappas and current Public Works and Infrastructure Martin Meyer and Dean Macpherson indicating their unavailability for the position, it will be seen whether the current deputy provincial leader Sithembiso Ngema will throw his hat in the ring.
Meyer was non-committal saying if he decides to run for any position he would only pronounce once the nominations are open. Macpherson, the Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, is unlikely to return to the province.
Macpherson had previously indicated that he would consider the Federal Council chairperson positon if nominated (Helen Zille’s position). The party’s eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen has also announced his unavailability for any position, stating that his only focus is to turn around eThekwini.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za