GEORGE POLITICAL NEWS - The DA in George welcomed a new PR councillor, Browen Johnson, last Friday.
This places the DA caucus on a total of 27 councillors in George Council. Full council consists of 53 councillors, but since the deregistration of the Sac party, that held one seat, there are effectively 52 councillors, and nine political parties are represented.
"We are very happy to welcome Browen as our new PR councillor. The DA is very excited about being fully represented in Council again and we are looking forward to the year ahead," said DA Chief Whip Marlene Barnardt.
DA Constituency Head of George, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said Johnson is a very impressive person with a lot of community experience. "We've allocated him to work in Pacaltsdorp and believe he will add a lot of value there, helping the DA to retain those Pacaltsdorp wards in the upcoming election," he said.
For Johnson it is a big honour to be part of the caucus. "With my years of experience in health care and project management I believe I can be an asset to the DA caucus and municipal council. I have a love for the community and their needs," he said.
"As a ward committee member of 2016 in Groeneweide Park, I helped to solve community issues and established organisations such as neighbourhood watches and supported businesses." He stressed the importance of good communication between the community and the municipality.
Johnson replaces former DA councillor Mxolisi Nyakathi, whose membership of the party was terminated after he was found guilty in an internal disciplinary hearing.
On a request for comment, Nyakathi said, "This was a very traumatic period in my life and I wish to close the book and take a break from politics."
Asked about the reason for the hearing, Hill-Lewis said he would rather not embroider on the matter, out of respect for Nyakathi. "Nyakathi's disciplinary hearing was finalised in December. It took longer to finalise than those of former councillors Belrina Cornelius, Dawid Willemse and Edmund Bussack, but it is the same batch of issues," he said.
Cornelius, Willemse and Bussack lost their DA membership and positions as ward councillors when they sided with the ANC during a vote in Council in February last year.
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