Vasco da Gama (council speaker)

Vasco Manoel da Gama (born 29 January 1959) is a South African politician with the Democratic Alliance[1] and a member of the Johannesburg City Council. He most recently served as the Johannesburg council speaker until 31 August 2022 when a motion of no confidence was settled with 136 votes for the motion and 132 against it, resulting in Da Gama’s ouster.

Councillor
Vasco Da Gama
Speaker of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality
In office
22 November 2021 – 31 August 2022
Preceded byNonceba Molwele
Succeeded byColleen Makhubela
In office
22 August 2016 – 11 December 2019
Preceded byConstance Bapela
Succeeded byNonceba Molwele
Personal details
Born
Vasco Manuel da Gama

(1959-01-29) 29 January 1959
Louis Trichardt, Transvaal Province, South Africa
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
Not to be confused with Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer who died in 1524.

Early life and education

Da Gama was born in Louis Trichardt, Transvaal (now Limpopo) in 1959. In 1969, his family was forcibly removed from their homes as part of the government's apartheid policy, which led to Da Gama to study at a Coloured-only school.[2]

Career

In 2011, he ran as a DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg before a panel of 30 people, including party leader and Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille, but was defeated by Mmusi Maimane. Following Maimane's departure to the National Assembly in 2014, Da Gama was appointed leader of the DA's caucus, a position he had previously held.[3]

In August 2016, Da Gama was elected council speaker.[4][5] He was removed as speaker in December 2019 and replaced with the ANC's Nonceba Molwele.[6] After the 2021 local government elections, the DA put him forward as their candidate for council speaker.

He was elected council speaker at the inaugural council meeting on 22 November 2021 after he received 147 out of the 265 votes. The ANC's Eunice Mgcina received only 118 votes.[7][8]

Personal life

Born in modern-day Limpopo, Da Gama later moved to Alexandra in Gauteng. He currently lives in Eldorado Park with his wife. He reportedly speaks all eleven official languages of South Africa.[2]

Following his election, he received attention for his name, which he shares with 16th century Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, among the first Europeans to visit the Cape of Good Hope.[9]

References
  1. "DA's Vasco da Gama elected as new Johannesburg Council Speaker". eyewitness news/ewn.co.z. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  2. Fourie, Chantelle (31 August 2016). "Up close and personal with the new speaker, Vasco da Gama". Randburg Sun. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  3. Khulekani Magubane. "DA elects Da Gama to lead Johannesburg caucus". bdlive.co.za. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  4. Tshidi Madia. "Vasco da Gama elected as Joburg council speaker". news24. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  5. Thabiso Thakali. "#Joburg - DA's Da Gama elected speaker". iol.co.za. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  6. Deklerk, Aphiwe (11 December 2019). "Nonceba Molwele elected new speaker of Joburg". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  7. "DA's Vasco da Gama elected speaker of council in Joburg". The Citizen. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  8. "DA's da Gama elected Joburg council speaker". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  9. "Johannesburg speaker Vasco da Gama already has a Twitter parody account". Memeburn. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2023.


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