• The DA approved four candidates to replace the outgoing Nicole Graham. 
• The four councillors are Mzamo Billy, Shontel de Boer, Sakhile Mngadi and Thabani Mthethwa.
• Graham resigned last month to pursue an MBA at the University of Sydney.

Four candidates were nominated and approved to contest for the position of DA eThekwini caucus leader, which became vacant last month. 

The candidates, to replace Nicole Graham, are Mzamo Billy, Shontel de Boer, Sakhile Mngadi and Thabani Mthethwa.

Graham, a long-serving DA KwaZulu-Natal member, resigned to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Sydney. 

In an email to DA branches in eThekwini, seen by News24, the provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson, announced the names of the four candidates.

He said: "I am satisfied they meet the requirements as prescribed by the party's nomination regulations."

He said the election of the new DA eThekwini caucus leader would take place next Monday at the Albert Luthuli Hall.

The registration of delegates eligible to vote will open at 10:00, while the meeting will commence at 10:30. 

Macpherson said that, if any delegate could not attend the meeting, they could apply, with motivation, for a special vote. This had to be done on or before 15 July. 

In an open letter to accept the nomination, Billy indicated that one of his objectives would be to form a working relationship with other parties in the council to "save the little that is left" of the city. 

He said: "I am honoured and humbled to confirm to you that, yes, indeed, I have accepted the nomination for the crucial position of the DA eThekwini caucus leader.

"It is about providing much-needed leadership, so that we can urgently work together to save the little that is left of the city. We must put people first, that's an unavoidable responsibility.

"We must get the basics right, so that we can build a solid and efficient team that will carry out its core functions of servicing the residents of the city without hindrances or frustrations."