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Dan Plato will be the holder of Cape Town's mayoral chain for the second time after the DA announced on Tuesday that he would be replacing former mayor Patricia de Lille.
DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi said in a statement that the party's federal executive council considered the results of the selection panel for the mayor of Cape Town.
"A number of truly excellent candidates applied, including (Western Cape legislature speaker) Sharna Fernandez, (Cape Town Deputy Mayor) Ian Neilson, (Gauteng MPL and former MP) Heinrich Volmink, (Cape Town MMC) Brett Herron, and (Western Cape MEC for Community Safety) Dan Plato. All the candidates were highly competent and capable. It is a testament to the DA's work in Cape Town over the past decade that a pool of such notable talent has developed over time," Malatsi said.
"The selection panel interviewed and ranked these candidates and is then required to make a recommendation to [the] FedEx. The panel recommended that Dan Plato be the DA's Mayor of Cape Town, and [the] FedEx has this morning ratified that decision.
"[The] FedEx warmly congratulates Mr Plato on his nomination, pledge to him our full support, and wish him every success in the task ahead. As the DA, we are confident that Mr Plato will continue the progress we are making in the City of Cape Town."
Also read: Incoming CT mayor Plato has colourful history with informants, intelligence
Plato served as mayor from 2009, replacing Helen Zille who went on to become the premier until 2011, when he went to the provincial legislature and was appointed in Zille's cabinet. He was replaced by De Lille.
By the latter part of last year, relations between De Lille and senior members of the DA Cape Town caucus soured. Several attempts to remove her failed, but she ultimately announced in August that she would resign, effective from October 31.
