GOOD Statement by Lulama Benge,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
08 May 2025
The GOOD Party is deeply concerned by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) blatant abuse of power and undermining of democratic principles in the City of Cape Town. We have confirmed that at least five opposition councillors who moved political homes, have been appointed to positions within the Mayor’s office, despite serious concerns over their qualifications for these roles. Included in the growing list is GOOD’s own Shireen August, EFF councillor Lungiswa Ntshuntshe, NCC’s Nigel Williams and the PA’s Aslam Richards and Marvin Sampson.
This troubling pattern points to a deliberate strategy by the DA to co-opt opposition voices by offering employment in the City administration office, effectively silencing dissent and compromising the integrity of Council oversight. These appointments not only raise serious ethical questions but also highlight the DA’s willingness to blur the lines between political loyalty and administrative impartiality.
The Mayor’s office must be a space for qualified, competent individuals who serve the residents of Cape Town, not a political shelter for those who abandon their mandates in exchange for employment. GOOD is calling for immediate transparency on the recruitment process for these positions, including the criteria used, qualifications of appointees, and whether due process was followed. We are also seeking urgent clarity on whether these appointments comply with the City’s governance and HR policies. To our knowledge, these were not vacant or advertised positions, but rather roles seemingly created for political defectors. This raises serious questions about whether Cape Town’s residents are being forced to fund the DA’s political chess game.
What is increasingly clear is that the DA is prepared to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections by any means necessary, including manipulating city processes and leveraging public funds to pay salaries to defectors. When it cannot win on ideas, it resorts to buying silence.
Media enquiries:media@forgood.org.za