Political row erupts in strategic DA ward of Durban North

A PROMINENT DA member and former member of parliament, Mark Lowe has launched a scathing attack on the opposition party following his failure to qualify to stand as a candidate in Durban North in the upcoming bi-elections on 2 July.

Speaking to the Northglen News, Lowe a former deputy mayor of Durban and DA spokesman for home affairs, said he felt betrayed by his “beloved DA” after the party’s electoral college rejected his appeal for the job as ward councillor of ward 36 – Durban North.  The ructions surfaced after it was announced that the DA candidate for Durban North would be Shaun Ryley.

On Monday, a Durban North resident called the Northglen News and questioned why Lowe had being overlooked for the position in the ward, considered a strategic one for the DA.
But when the Northglen News called Lowe for comment he said: “I don’t know Shaun Riley, I don’t know his capabilities and I don’t have a problem with him. What I am disappointed about is how the DA, my party for many years disqualified me on a technicality. I have not been given a fair shot and that is what I feel is unfair.”

Lowe, who ran the DA stronghold, 15 years  ago insists it’s not a case of sour grapes. “I wanted a chance to turn our city around. Durban is falling way behind Joburg and Cape Town, the whoonga boys are coming.  I am so sorry that, in preventing me from even making a case for selection to the DA interview panel, the DA has treated the voters of Durban North in a shameful and insulting manner, preventing them from having a fair choice and a real alternative about who represents them on the eThekwini Council.”

Lowe said he had seriously considered running an independent candidate to “mount a respectable and concerted campaign”.  He added: “This would allow ward 36 voters a real chance to choose a representative of their choice rather than somebody preselected by a local faction of the DA. But, in the face of a well oiled political party machine it would be difficult, if not impossible to win in just two short weeks.”

But the DA’s provincial chairman, Haniff Hoosen said Lowe had not fulfilled the criteria for the position. “It is a national law of the country that a person must be a registered voter in the municipality in which they are running and Lowe was not.”

Hoosen added that Lowe also did not meet the deadline for applying for the prime position that was 5pm on Sunday, 18 May. “We informed him that his application was deficient, along with six other candidates and gave them a 24 hour notice period to rectify the situation, which Lowe did not meet. Lowe is expecting preferential treatment over 33 other applicants. Each application was treated equally and fairly,” Hoosen said.

The position became available after Dean Macpherson headed for parliament.  Macpherson said: “Our focus should be on retaining this ward. It is not about Mark Lowe and the DA. Its about the DA and the ANC. The voters of Durban North have been very loyal to the DA. The ANC has continuously said that they want to take over this ward and we cannot allow it to change hands.”