Solly Msimanga
| Councillor Solly Tshepiso Msimanga | |
|---|---|
 DA Federal Congress, 2010 | |
| Mayor of City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality | |
|
Assumed office 19 August 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Kgosientso Ramokgopa |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
16 July 1980 Atteridgville, Pretoria |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance |
| Spouse(s) | Monde Msimanga |
| Children |
Amogelong Msimanga Aobokwe Msimanga |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria (BCompt) |
Solly Tshepiso Msimanga (born 16 July 1980) is a South Africa politician. After the Democratic Alliance's victory in Tshwane in the 2016 election, Msimanga was elected mayor by Tshwane City Council on its first meeting.[1][2][3]
Background
Msimanga has a national diploma in marketing management and a BCompt from the University of Pretoria.
Career in politics
Msimanga first joined the DA in 2006. After having attended a DA event, he wrote to the party criticizing its campaign approach, and was soon offered a staff position by the party's CEO Ryan Coetzee.[4][5] He eventually began rising through the ranks of the party. In 2011, he was elected to the Tshwane City Council, and the same year became the leader of the DA's Gauteng North region. In 2014, Msimanga would be elected as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, and he then proceeded to succeed Mike Moriarty as DA provincial chairperson in 2015.
In September 2015, Msimanga was announced as the DA's mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane in the 2016 municipal elections.[6] DA emerged as the largest party in the election, but without a majority. By forming a coalition with several smaller parties, and with the support of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Msimanga was elected as the executive Mayor of Tshwane. He is the first DA member to hold the post.
When he was elected Mayor, he stated his intention to outlaw blue-lights brigades in the City — for everyone except the President. “The only VIPs in the City will be the residents of the City,” he said.
References
- ↑ Dlamini, Pewell; Raba, Buchule; Mabuza, Kingdom (19 August 2016). "ANC watches as DA's Solly Msimanga becomes Tshwane mayor". Times Live. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- ↑ "Solly Tshepiso Msimanga". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- ↑ Poplak, Richard (19 July 2016). "How the DA's Solly Msimanga hopes to turn Battleground Tshwane into a better version of Sweden". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- ↑ "DA's Solly Msimanga eager to clean up tainted Tshwane". BDlive. 15 August 2016.
- ↑ ""I lived in a shack" says optimistic newly-elected Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga". M&G. 26 August 2016.
- ↑ "DA chooses Tshwane's Solly Msimanga as 2016 mayoral candidate". Eyewitness News. 5 September 2015.