Court Delivers Major Blow to Expelled DA Councillor Ahead of Elections

The Western Cape High Court has dealt a significant setback to expelled Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Abdulkader Elyas after dismissing his urgent application to challenge his removal from the party.

The ruling was delivered on Monday, 2 November 2026, just two days before South Africa’s Local Government Elections scheduled for Wednesday, 4 November.

Elyas had approached the court in an attempt to reverse his expulsion from the DA and have his name reinstated on the party’s proportional representation (PR) candidate list for the City of Cape Town.

However, Judge Constance Noluthando Nziweni dismissed his application, finding that he had failed to establish a prima facie right to an interim interdict that could prevent his removal from the party.

The judge also criticised Elyas’s interpretation of the disciplinary agreement he had signed with the DA, describing it as “textually unsustainable”.

The decision means Elyas has suffered a legal defeat in his attempt to retain his political position and secure his place on the DA’s candidate list ahead of the crucial elections.

The case attracted attention because of its timing, with the local government elections only days away.

The court’s ruling has upheld the DA’s expulsion decision, leaving Elyas’s efforts to return to the party’s candidate list unsuccessful.

The judgment highlights the legal challenges facing politicians seeking to contest disciplinary decisions within their political parties.

https://www.facebook.com/100069734502518/posts/1499888792345590/?app=fbl

Titilayo004 feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com