Cape Town - Former DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela has thrown his hat in the ring in a bid to regain his old job, which is currently held in an interim capacity by Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers.
With just over three months to go to the DA’s Western Cape congress on November 11, Madikizela announced his comeback bid in a media briefing in Cape Town.
He was flanked by five DA City councillors: Sandile, Booysen, Solomon Philander, Kyle Carls, Anthony Benadie and Elton-Enrique Jansen.
Madikizela was dropped as transport and public works MEC by Premier Alan Winde in 2021 after it emerged that he had misrepresented his qualifications, and was found by the public protector to have breached the Executive Ethics Act and Code by lying to the legislature.
He also resigned as DA provincial leader to be replaced by former Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz, who also quit the post under a cloud after less than a year.
Madikizela’s previous attempt at a political comeback in January 2022, when it was announced that he would be appointed as a special adviser to
Winde, was thwarted after the Department of Public Service and Administration, which declined to approve the salary level for the position.
Yesterday, Madikizela said he had left the past behind him and was looking forward to returning to active politics. He said he saw himself as “a leader who can unify people in the face of racial polarisation.”
He also said he thought he would be good for the optics of the DA in the Western Cape.
“I’ve been observing political developments in our country with a keen interest, my passion is refusing to let me watch from the sidelines.”
CPUT political science lecturer Dr Trust Matsilele commented on Madikizela’s planned comeback and the hurdles that he would have to clear.
“The DA has the pervasive challenges of prejudice against black leaders and has a natural predisposition for white leaders and that’s the challenge Madikizela will face.
“He will (also) have to shake off the stigma of being a liar,” Matsilele said.