Good Party fills CoCT vacancy with Rise Mzansi's Axolile Notywala

CAPE TOWN - In an unusual move, the GOOD Party has filled a vacancy in the City of Cape Town with a member of another party, RISE Mzansi’s Axolile Notywala.

The GOOD Party says Notywala has taken up dual membership to legitimise the move.

RISE Mzansi said this arrangement cements the two parties’ commitment to revive conversations about realigning social democratic politics and have not ruled out the possibility of a merger.

Notywala is well-known for his social justice work in the city and was the face of RISE Mzansi’s campaign in the province for the May polls.

The GOOD Party has nine seats in the metro, with a vacancy owing to a councillor being axed after a disciplinary process.

The party’s Secretary General Brett Herron said GOOD approached Notywala directly about filling the seat.

But this was not to say the GOOD Party lacked suitable candidates.

“This is part of a process to try to find or strengthen the relationship between the parties and see where that leads. We don’t really have a predetermined outcome.”

RISE Mzansi failed to garner any traction in the may provincial election, and this will be its first foot in the door of a local council outside of a municipal election.

“It’s a good faith gesture in the context of engagements that took place before the 2024 elections and which we will continue after the elections.”

Herron said Notywala would be held to the same performance standard as its other councillors in terms of good conduct and abiding by caucus rules.