The Durban North and uMhlanga ward councillors will be embracing new horizons and stepping up their game in politics at the national and provincial level following their swearing-in at the Provincial Legislature and National Assembly on Friday, 14 June.
Former Ward 35 councillor, Nicole Bollman and Ward 36 councillor, Shontel de Boer will represent citizens at the National Assembly and Provincial Legislature, respectively.
“In the past 13 years, I have had the honour of serving in three wards in eThekwini. I have made lots of friends and met the most amazing people along my journey as well as wonderful, passionate activists and supporters of the Democratic Alliance (DA). The generosity and kindness shown to me have made my tenure a very pleasant one, despite the many challenges we faced together. I do not bid you farewell as I remain a resident of Ward 36 eThekwini. I will continue fighting for the citizens of this beautiful country we call home,” said MPL de Boer.
Member of Parliament (MP) Bollman said it had been an honour and privilege to serve the people of Ward 35 and this new journey brings a wave of emotions, however embracing new challenges is a core part of who she is.
“On one hand, I am exceptionally excited and privileged to have been elected to represent the Democratic Alliance and the people of South Africa in the National Assembly. On the other hand, this means I will soon have to bid farewell to my ward and the exceptional people who make it so special. Reflecting on the past four years and 10 months, I am filled with pride and gratitude. When I was elected to represent you, I was apprehensive about the future, especially with what I soon realised was one of the most unique wards in the entire eThekwini Municipality. I had no idea then how deeply I would be immersed in the challenges and triumphs of our community. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to every one of you for your support and friendship,” said MP Bollman.
Following the move by both ward councillors and the resignation of Ward 34 councillor, Bobby Maharaj, three by-elections will be held within the next 90 days to fill in the vacant seats of Ward 34, 35, and 36 councillor chairs. According to MPL de Boer, applications for the vacant positions have been advertised and closed.
“Applicants will undergo a thorough screening process, an interview with a coring and elimination process, and another follow-up interview with the remaining candidates. The selected councillor candidates will hit the ground running with their campaigns immediately. The community will be advised on the by-election dates and registered voters in the wards will be able to cast their votes to choose a new councillor. A voter registration weekend will be held as well before the by-election day,” she added.
