ANC snatches Durban ward from DA

The African National Congress (ANC) has won a ward previously held by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in a hotly-contested by-election in Durban’s Chartworth on Wednesday.

The ANC has congratulated its candidate, 26-year-old Previn Vedan, for the “historic victory in Chatsworth”.

In a statement released on Thursday, his campaign team said Vedan beat the DA’s Fatima Ismail by a landslide of 469 votes. The vacancy arose with the resignation of a DA councillor.

“Vedan was especially excited to win the voting district in his home base of Shallcross, which includes middle-class homes, and a sprawling community in council-owned rental flats. Another decisive support base was the informal settlement of Bottlebrush close to the Chatsworth Centre shopping mall. Vedan’s ANC branch secretary Falakhe Mhlongo proposed his candidacy three weeks ago and was by his side throughout the campaign,” the statement read.

ANC congratulates Comrade Previn Vedan for the historic victory in Chatsworth, at 26-years old, Cde Vedan won ANC the ward from the DA. @ANCKZN is commended for its work. #ThumaMina AMANDLA pic.twitter.com/SI1rHqGnG2

— African National Congress (@MYANC) October 4, 2018

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for human settlements and public works Ravi Pillay said: “This campaign is an important signal of deepening non-racialism, uniting our people and building our country.

“This is a new dawn for our community. I am under no illusions about the challenges we face to ensure that all our people live in dignity, safety and harmony. This is going to take daily hard work on the ground and that work starts now. We have been careful not to make promises that we cannot keep but the expectations of our people are very high.”

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