The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape elected Bonginkosi Madikizela to serve as acting provincial leader for the party at a provincial council meeting in Worcester on Saturday.
Madikizela, who was previously deputy leader, will fill the role left vacant by Patricia de Lille, who resigned from the post on January 30.
“On behalf of the DA in the Western Cape, I wish to congratulate Bonginkosi Madikizela on being elected to lead the party in the province,” DA provincial chairperson Anton Bredell said on Saturday.
“We look forward to working together in delivering on our record of progress and job creation in the Western Cape.”
The council meeting was attended by party delegates at Susan Hanekom Hall this weekend. He will represent DA structures from all across the Western Cape.
“Bonginkosi Madikizela will lead the DA in the Western Cape as the acting provincial leader for the remainder of the current term,” Bredell added.
“Thereafter, the DA in the Western Cape will convene its provincial congress, where it will elect the next provincial leader.
The congress will take place on August 12 this year.”
He beat party chief whip for Cape Town Shaun August, former Western Cape police commissioner Lennit Max, Dr Arlene Adams and David Langeveld.
Madikizela is also MEC for human settlements in the province.
“I feel very humbled and overwhelmed by this confidence my colleagues have shown in me,” Madikizela told the media after the council.
“This is a beginning of a very long journey. It’s a journey that started long time ago with a solid foundation that was laid by a number of leaders, including Ivan Meyer.
“We have a great task at hand and celebration will stop here,” he said. — News24