Council composition changes as seven members leave office
George Municipality has confirmed that seven councillors ceased to be members of the municipal council with effect from 31 August 2026, the municipality said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the municipality said it had received formal notification of the changes and was following the prescribed processes to deal with the resulting vacancies. The announcement follows a period of political churn in the council, including councillors leaving or being removed from their political parties.
- The municipality expects the vacancies to be filled through the applicable legislative and electoral processes, with further details to be announced.
- Residents and stakeholders were urged to direct official business through municipal channels and not rely on social-media posts by the former councillors.
Acting Municipal Manager Dr Dean O’Neill said the clarification was issued because some of the former councillors were allegedly continuing to engage with the public on social media in ways that could suggest they still represented council.
"Residents and stakeholders are advised that, with effect from 31 August 2026, the individuals listed above no longer hold office as councillors of the George Municipality," the statement said.
The seven former councillors named in the municipality's notice are:
| Name | Party (as listed) |
|---|---|
| Enrico Figland | VF+ |
| Faith Mdaka | ANC |
| Zukile Gom | ANC |
| Druzelda Jantjies | PBI |
| Darryl Coeriecious | PBI |
| Jacobus Gertse | PBI |
| Ebrahim America | DA |
Dr O’Neill emphasised that the individuals no longer represented the parties listed alongside their names in their former councillor capacities. The municipality reminded the public to ensure any engagement or communication purporting to be on behalf of George Municipality is directed through official municipal channels.
Practical implications for residents and council operations
The immediate practical effect is a reduction in the number of serving councillors until the vacancies are filled. That can influence ward representation if any of the departures were ward councillors rather than proportional-representation councillors, and may affect committee membership and quorum calculations.
The municipality did not specify in its statement whether the vacancies resulted from resignations, party expulsion, floor-crossing, or other causes — only that it had received formal notification and was following required processes. It further said details on how the vacancies would be filled would be provided in due course.
For residents, the municipality's reminder about official channels is significant. Public interaction with councillors often occurs on social media; the municipality's warning underlines the need to verify whether an individual is still authorised to act on council's behalf before relying on commitments or information shared online.
What to watch for next
- Announcements from the municipality outlining the timetable and mechanism for filling the seven vacancies.
- Clarification on whether any wards are without direct ward representation and any interim arrangements to assist affected residents.
- Updates from the political parties involved on internal processes that led to the councillors' departures, where those parties choose to comment.
The municipality's statement is the authoritative notice on the change in council composition. Until further details are released, residents seeking municipal services or redress should use the municipality's published contact points rather than assuming continuity of representation from the named former councillors.
