Durban — The DA caucus leader in eThekwini Municipality, Nicole Graham, has cleared the air and said that there was no bad blood between her and her party after she decided to resign from the DA.
This came after DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers revealed in a statement issued by the party on Monday that Graham had decided to resign from the council by the end of July.
“The DA in KwaZulu-Natal acknowledges receipt of Nicole Graham’s resignation letter. As the DA in KZN, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Nicole for her contribution to different party structures over the past 11 years. We wish her well as she begins a new chapter in her life journey,” read the DA statement.
Asked if there were issues that forced her out of the DA, Graham said she felt that it was time for her to leave.
“It was time for me to be with my family and start a new chapter in my life. I led the DA caucus for four years and I believe that we built a strong capable team that will continue to ensure that service delivery remained a priority,” responded Graham.
Shortly after Graham joined the DA in 2007, she rose through the ranks and became a member of the council in 2011 at the age of 21. She served in the council for more than 11 years.
Graham said she would be moving to Sydney, Australia, where she has been accepted to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Leadership and Enterprise at the University of Sydney.
“This MBA is a full-time 18-month programme that begins in August. This is an incredible personal opportunity for me, and I have also been awarded the university’s MBA Director’s Scholarship. Notably, I am to be reunited with my sister and her family in Sydney, and this coupled with the educational opportunities afforded to me, means I will be making Sydney my home for a while,” she said.
Graham said she would remain a member of the DA. She thanked the residents of eThekwini who supported her and her party.
“Politicians can quickly lose sight of what it is we actually are elected to do: represent and fight for ordinary people. You have kept me accountable, focused, and fighting for what matters. I thank you sincerely and trust that the team will continue with that work.”
Without disclosing details, Rogers and the party’s provincial chairperson, Dean Macpherson, told the Daily News an internal caucus election would be held to ultimately determine the new caucus leader who will replace Graham when she vacates her seat.
Daily News