DA and PA name candidates for Ward 34 by-election battle
On Monday, the DA announced Annelize Stanley as its candidate and the PA named Geraldine Vaaltyn as its candidate.
Residents will take to the polls on July 16 to vote for their councillor of choice.
The DA aims to retain the ward, which became vacant after the death of DA councillor Johnny Arends, who died in a car accident on the R75 in April.
PA regional chair Bradley Murray said Vaaltyn was announced earlier in 2025 as the party's candidate for the ward for the 2026 local government elections.
'We're sticking to our plan ,' he said.
'Geraldine has always been somebody that's been on the ground.
'Even before she joined the PA, she was somebody that would attend to the elderly in the ward, she used to come take their blood pressure and help them get their medicines.
'From that, she used to report blocked drains, potholes, sewage, which is a bigger challenge in Ward 34.
'She's a people's person and we believe that Geraldine brings the heart into politics,' he said.
Murray said the PA was coming for a win and had knocked on every door.
'The DA has been running that ward for more than 20 years and the people are still struggling with the same challenges.
'The main roads are still looking like they were when it was apartheid time, when our people were chucked in that ward.
'So after 20 years, the DA has really not done anything other than just collect the seed because they never had any party that could challenge them for that ward,' Murray said.
DA Eastern Cape chair Yusuf Cassim said Stanley emerged as the candidate after recommendations from the party's selection panel and pending the outcome of the appeals process.
Cassim said Stanley had lived in the ward for more than two decades and described her as a dedicated servant of Arcadia, Sanctor, Salsoneville and West End.
'She has a proven record of meaningful community engagement with a focus on fighting crime and rehabilitating former gang members, assisting with issues at local clinics, distributing food, and is a dedicated DA activist.
'Annelize is also a member of the Ward 34 ward committee. She has a clear understanding of the challenges and aspirations of the residents of Ward 34,' he said.
Cassim said the DA was confident in Stanley's ability to meet the demands of the role of councillor and to serve the residents of Ward 34 with distinction.
The Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
4 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Response to Chrispin Phiri's open letter
After two decades reporting from front lines I've learned that truth in conflict is rarely clean. Photo: Said Khatib/AFP When a government spokesperson devotes an On 21 July 2025, department of international relations and cooperation spokesperson Chrispin Phiri published an open letter accusing me of promoting 'clickbait', 'unsubstantiated hogwash' and undermining the integrity of South African media. His response was directed at a In that blog, I raised a set of concerns based on documents shared with me by a source, Justin Lewis. These included allegations that certain South African officials may have had foreknowledge of the 7 October Hamas attacks and played a role in enabling legal access to international courts on Hamas's behalf. I never claimed that the allegations were confirmed, only that they deserve to be taken seriously and properly looked into. As a journalist, it is not my role to suppress serious allegations simply because they are unproven — it is my responsibility to bring them to light when they raise legitimate public interest concerns. In doing so, I make clear what is allegation and what is fact, and I seek responses from all relevant parties. That is how scrutiny, accountability, and responsible journalism work. Which is why two days later I Phiri's letter acknowledged that clarification — only to dismiss it as 'damage control'. Instead of presenting factual rebuttals, he delivered a lecture peppered with sarcasm and insults, calling my work reckless and unethical, and accusing me of misleading the public. This exchange, at its core, comes down to a clear line of argument on both sides. My position is that journalists have a duty to raise serious allegations — especially when they involve governments, foreign policy or international law. Not because all allegations are true, but because the public deserves to know what questions are being asked, and what answers are being avoided. Phiri's position, on the other hand, is that because Justin Lewis has made exaggerated and questionable claims elsewhere, the allegations I raised should never have been aired. But journalism doesn't work that way. Bad people can stumble onto important truths. Flawed sources can raise valid concerns. A journalist's job is not to vouch for a source's biography — it's to follow a story where it leads, verify what can be verified, and disclose what can't. That's what I did. Within 48 hours, I published a follow-up. I clarified the context not because the allegations were proven or disproven, but because responsible journalism requires transparency when new information comes to light. What Phiri offered in response was not a factual correction, but a character attack against both the source and me. After two decades reporting from front lines in Gaza, Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Israel and beyond I've learned that truth in conflict is rarely clean. Sources sometimes collapse under scrutiny. When that happens, you take responsibility, correct, and move forward. That is exactly what I did. What I did not do was present fiction as fact. I reported on allegations. I clarified their status. I acknowledged the problems. And I continued asking questions. If the government believes those questions are baseless, it should present evidence to the contrary. It should clarify timelines, communications and diplomatic steps taken before and after 7 October. Instead, it has chosen to mock the person raising them. The department's refusal to engage with the core concern, South Africa's foreign policy conduct and the credibility of its international alliances, is telling. Their silence on substance, and volume on character, only fuels public doubt. And for the record: I do not claim South Africa collaborated with Hamas. I do not claim the allegations are proven. I do claim they are serious enough to merit scrutiny. That scrutiny should not be met with institutional outrage. Phiri's letter suggests that by platforming concerns, I violated the principles of journalism. But journalism is not built on silence. It's built on inquiry. You follow leads. You evaluate sources. You clarify what cannot be confirmed. That's what I did. That's what I will continue to do. South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice is not what I was writing about. My focus was narrower: what was said, shared or supported before the events of 7 October? Were there missteps or blind spots in our diplomatic positioning? And if so, shouldn't we want to know? In his closing, Phiri quotes Nelson Mandela: 'Our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.' I would add this: our democracy is incomplete without the freedom to question our own government especially when the stakes involve war, ideology and lives. I'll continue to ask hard questions, report without fear, and correct when needed — not because it's popular, but because journalism demands it. A free press doesn't need permission to investigate — and it certainly doesn't answer to the government it is questioning. Paula Slier is a South African-born war correspondent and journalist.
The Herald
5 hours ago
- The Herald
SABC launches radio campaign to end GBV
The Gqeberha Pride Festival and nonprofit Transforming Women and Youth in Social Trends (TWYST) Foundation, have welcomed the SABC 's anti-gender-based violence (GBV) campaign. The broadcaster said on Saturday the campaign would run on the SABC ' s 19 radio stations with the aim of creating awareness about the damage caused by GBV. This would be done through programmes geared towards educating the youth, caregivers and communities at large. The message is: 'If you see it, speak out. If you're hurting, reach out. Because doing nothing is not an option. GBV. It ends with you. Call 0800-428-428 to report abuse or get help.' TWYST founder Ntombozuko Jafta, from KwaNobuhle, welcomed the SABC's initiative, saying it came at a time when she had started to feel defeated by the scourge of violence against women. In June, a 12-year-old-girl was killed in Motherwell and two girls were found burnt in KwaNobuhle just days apart. 'GBV is getting worse,' Jafta said. 'Two sisters were gunned down while they were sleeping in Kariega, and while we were looking at a report about that a police officer shot his ex-girlfriend and their friend before killing himself in Central. 'There are also cases which are not reported. 'While we are protesting, you find people telling you that the neighbour raped their younger sister and threatened to kill them if they told anyone. 'There are cases of children with disabilities who cannot talk. 'Unlike our small protests in Motherwell, Kariega or Despatch, our voices will now be on the airwaves and this will have a huge impact on the people on the ground.' The Herald Nelson Mandela University Citizens of the Year Awards 2022 winner in the gender-based violence category said men needed to be in the forefront in the fight against GBV. SABC group executive for radio Nada Wotshela said: 'As the country grapples with GBV, which has become a national emergency affecting women, children, men and members of the LGBTQ+ community, the public broadcaster felt it was important to lend its voice and platforms in further fighting this deadly societal disease through our platforms. 'We will be amplifying various stakeholders ' efforts through specially curated daily content on this matter.' According to Sicebise Social Inclusion programme manager Mbulelo Xinana, the SABC's campaign forms part of the national strategic plan on GBV. Sicebise Social Inclusion hosts the annual Gqeberha Pride Festival, which serves as an awareness campaign against GBV, especially on issues of violence against the LGBTQ+ community. 'The best way to fight GBV is to raise awareness which is how you make a change by interacting with stakeholders to make a difference,' Xinana said. 'When we talk about GBV we must acknowledge that violence against the LGBTQ+ community is GBV. 'One of the things not talked about much is the intimate partner violence, because being in the LGBTQ+ community is already taboo. 'How do you even report such an issue not knowing how it would be handled? 'Those are [some of the] issues that we are looking into as an organisation.' The Herald
The Herald
5 hours ago
- The Herald
Cemeteries becoming no-go zones for Nelson Mandela Bay mourners
Two friends from Missionvale, Calvin Raymond and Berto Jantjies, were digging a grave for Jantjies 's grandmother at the Bethelsdorp cemetery. They shared disturbing stories about things they had witnessed or heard. 'As of 2024 and early this year, there were many families who found their loved ones ' graves opened, with the bodies lying on the ground and caskets stolen. 'What grieving families do now after a funeral is have some relatives stand guard overnight to safeguard the casket. 'Some have resorted to buying cheaper coffins in hopes of preventing the theft.' Raymond said they did not feel safe as they worked because they knew people who had been robbed at gunpoint there. When ward 15 councillor Mpumelelo Majola visited his parents ' graves in the Zwide cemetery last weekend, he discovered the tombstone kerbs missing on both graves. 'This was the case at other graves nearby, with some missing the actual headstones,' Majola said. 'I went there to clean my mom and dad ' s graves, as is the norm in the family, when I made the heartbreaking discovery. 'I was too scared to check further down because there was a suspicious bakkie with some guys who were just sitting in the vehicle. 'Security is a serious issue in our cemeteries and the municipality needs to do something about it urgently before more families are affected.' Resident Lindiwe Mesani, who had visited a loved one in Papenkuil cemetery, was visibly shaken when approached by reporters from The Herald. She quickly rushed to her car and rolled down the window just enough to hear what was being said. Asked about her reaction, Mesani said the cemetery had many dodgy characters. 'I had to ask someone to accompany me because I was not going to risk my safety and come here alone,' she said. 'There are strange characters. 'There is no security guard, so if something happened to me no-one would know. 'I usually visit with my whole family as a safety measure, but most couldn ' t make it, so I asked a friend, but we are both scared.' In May, criminals removed t ombstones and dug up graves in their relentless pursuit of street lighting cables to pawn for just a few quick rand at the Papenkuil cemetery. Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said graveyards were municipal property and safeguarding them was their responsibility. "The police, however, can confirm that graveyards are included in the patrol routes of station crime prevention vehicles daily. "When mass funerals are conducted, police also intensify their visibility around these sites." Public health political head Thsonono Buyeye could not be reached for comment. Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya did not respond. The Herald
