Durban — The Patriotic Alliance (PA) says it is deeply saddened by the passing of its executive mayor of Theewaterskloof (TWK), Kallie Papier, who died on Sunday.
Papier had lung cancer.
In a short statement, the party’s national leadership said it was extending its heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and extended family.
The party said it became Papier’s family in the two years since his departure from his previous political party, with which he had served as a deputy mayor for several years before “coming to the sad realisation that he would always be overlooked as a mayoral candidate”, despite being the “best person for the job”.
“He proved this, with distinction, since his election by council in a new coalition government after the 2021 local government elections. He became increasingly diminished in the last months of his battle against terminal lung cancer, but he always put the welfare of the community first and remained true to his oath of office to his last breath. He was an example of an excellent coalition mayor, who worked well with our coalition partners and also earned the respect of all the other parties,” read the statement.
The party thanked the coalition partners for the stability TWK has seen, adding that the late mayor’s legacy must be honoured in the years to come as it builds on his example.
“We salute mayor Kallie Papier, who has shuffled off his mortal coil but will continue to wear the mayoral chain into eternity,” concludes the statement.
Papier was a deputy mayor for the DA but after it side-lined him during the nomination list process for local government elections in 2021, he left and joined the PA. His new party formed a coalition with the ANC and Good and he was elected as mayor in one of the small local municipalities in the Western Cape.
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