Ward 88 has a new DA candidate
NORTHCLIFF – We introduce you to the Democratic Alliance's candidate who will contest Ward 88 in the upcoming by-election.
Ward 88’s by-election is coming up and the Democratic Alliance believes it has the ideal candidate.
David Hensman, currently a PR councillor within the City of Johannesburg, will put up his hand to become the ward’s next councillor.
Hensman, a chartered accountant and Wits Business School MBA-graduate, started volunteering his services to the party in 2014.
Hensman said he became involved with the DA because he felt that he needed to become more politically aware.
“Politics affect each one of us,” said Hensman.
He told Northcliff Melville Times that he thought the DA was the only viable option to rescue the country ‘from economic meltdown’.
Hensman currently sits on the finance and the municipal public accounts committees which he said gives him insight into the financial challenges facing the City.
“I will be able to provide honest and informed feedback on steps being taken by the mayor and his administration to address billing, rates and service delivery problems and the allocation of scarce resources to infrastructure projects,” he said.
While being a PR councillor, Hensman worked in Naledi and Emdeni in Soweto.
“Working with the poor and unemployed in these areas has given me a balanced perspective of the challenges facing our mayor and his MMCs.”
Upon introducing himself on social media, which Hensman agrees is an essential platform that needs to be utilised in Ward 88, the fact that he does not live in Ward 88 was raised as a concern by certain residents. But Hensman is not particularly concerned.
“I live in Ward 86, close to the Northcliff boundary of Ward 88 and I am 15 minutes away from the farthest point in the ward. The challenges in the surrounding wards are very similar to that of Ward 88. I also have the support of councillors in these areas.”
Hensman would like to help residents better understand how the City functions and how decisions are made by management.
Ward 88 will be contested by the Northcliff Residents’ Association chairperson Oscar Plange. The by-election has been set for 25 April.
ALSO READ: NRA ready to stand for Ward 88 by-election
