- Pappas and deputy mayor Sandile Mnikathi were re-elected unopposed, while Kate Janse van Rensburg became speaker.
- KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi urged councillors to put campaigning behind them and serve all communities.
Chris Pappas has secured another five years as mayor of uMngeni, without a challenger.
The DA politician was re-elected unopposed at the municipality’s first council sitting at Howick West Community Hall on Friday.
Sandile Mnikathi also returned unopposed as deputy mayor, while Kate Janse van Rensburg was elected unopposed as speaker, replacing Janis Holmes.
Pappas first took office in 2021, becoming the municipality’s first DA mayor.
His return follows a stronger election performance by the party, which secured more than 60% of the vote and 15 of the council’s 25 seats.
The DA won 10 of uMngeni’s 13 wards. The ANC took two wards and the MK Party won one.
Across ward and proportional representation seats, the MK Party secured five council seats, the ANC four and the IFP one.
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi told incoming councillors that campaigning was over and their responsibility was now to serve communities across party lines.
He congratulated uMngeni on its service delivery and financial management.
Buthelezi said uMngeni was the first of KwaZulu-Natal’s 54 municipalities to hold its inaugural council sitting following the elections.
He said he hoped other municipalities would follow quickly so their new councils could begin serving residents.
