DA’s Chris Pappas ‘a breath of fresh air’ for KZN

Democratic Alliance’s (DA) KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier candidate and uMngeni mayor Christopher Pappas intends to spread hope and bring change in the province after next year’s general election.

Political analyst Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast said although Pappas was “young and a breath of fresh air”, it would be difficult for voters to favour him as KZN “was a very conservative province”.

According to Breakfast, culture and tradition were aspects entrenched in KZN.

“But South Africa is a youthful country that can enhance and appeal to young people to vote for him, but it is going to be a big challenge,” he said.

“He has a good track record, is approachable and also speaks isiZulu, but we might need more than that to entice the voters.”

Pappas’ candidacy as KZN premier was announced at Durban City Hall on Sunday, by DA leader John Steenhuisen, who described Pappas as a “shining beacon on the hill while the rest of KwaZulu-Natal lies in ruin”.

“He is principled, hard-working, dynamic, has governance experience and he understands the culture and the needs of the province,” Steenhuisen said.

In the 2019 general election, the ANC won KZN convincingly by gaining more than two million votes and 54% of the provincial vote, followed by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) with 16.3%, the DA 13.9% and the Economic Freedom Fighters with 9.7%.

In the November 2021 local government poll, the ANC suffered a blow – nationally acquiring 46.04% of all ballots cast or a total of 10.693 million votes.

The DA received 21.83% of all ballots cast and the IFP won 5.7% of the vote. In KZN, the IFP made huge gains and the DA, for the first time, won uMngeni local municipality in the KZN Midlands outright, where Pappas had been mayor since November 2021.

Breakfast said the DA could sway votes that could have gone to the ANC or IFP but would have to work hard.

“They are known to have a footprint in suburbs, not in the villages and townships. So they need to work hard,” he said.

On platform X, a Gideon van Zyl said: “All the best, Chris. You have made many supporters through your work. Let’s hope it will be a major contribution to wrestling KZN from the ANC.”

Megan Musk said: “Well deserved. Your hard work, dedication and leadership has proven itself. You are a true role model.”

George Jonkers posted: “I’m not a DA member, but impressed with your work ethos. It’s not about politics but truly about the South African population as a whole. All the very best.”

Pappas, 32, has been recognised for the positive changes he has made in the uMngeni municipality since taking office. These include getting the municipality’s budget to balance for the first time in over a decade and adding 175 new homes to the electricity grid.

Pappas served as a member of the eThekwini city council from 2016 until 2019, and DA’s member of the KZN legislature from 2019 to 2021 where he was DA KZN spokesperson on agriculture.

He later became the cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesperson and was the campaign manager in KZN for the 2014 general election. He also served as the party’s deputy provincial leader from 2021 to 2023.

Pappas began his political career as a DA member and later president of the student representative council at the University of Pretoria where he studied town and regional planning.

The DA also announced its premier candidates in other major provinces.

Alan Winde will be aiming to retain his position as Western Cape premier after being backed by his party.

Solly Msimanga, the DA’s Gauteng leader, was granted a second chance to vie for the premiership in province. Last month, Roy Jankielsohn was announced as the DA’s premier candidate for Free State.