GOOD Party’s Wesley Neumann vows to keep advocating for Ward 110 residents

Former Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann of the GOOD Party, who is still fighting to be reinstated following an order by the Labour Court, received 267 votes in Ward 110 in the Local Government Elections and has vowed to serve communities despite not making it to the top of the line.

The Western Cape Education Department is appealing his return. The National Coloured Congress’s mayoral candidate, Ellen Pakkies, received 336 votes in the same ward.

He said that, despite not making it to the top, he would continue to advocate for working-class communities, highlighting housing, unemployment, crime and inadequate services.

Neumann is calling for grassroots mobilisation and people-centred governance, with better schools, safer communities, improved sports and health facilities, quality housing and meaningful job opportunities.

The ward seat was taken by the DA’s Shanen Rossouw, who received more than 4 300 votes. She was followed by the Patriotic Alliance’s Ralph Bouwers, a community activist who has worked for years in Lavender Hill, with 420 votes.

Following his dismissal in October 2021 after opposing the WCED’s Covid-19 school reopening directive on safety grounds, Neumann subsequently won his Labour Court case.

In a judgment handed down on January 5 2026, the Labour Court ordered his full reinstatement as principal. The WCED has appealed the ruling to the Labour Appeal Court, where the matter remains pending.

Neumann joined politics following his suspension.

“In October 2024, I joined the City of Cape Town as a proportional representation (PR) councillor to continue my community work, particularly through the Community, Services and Health Portfolio Committee, which provides oversight of municipal amenities,” he said.

The Weekend Argus asked Neumann about his plans following the elections and what he had learnt from them.

“Following Wednesday’s election outcome, I reflected on my experience in participating in the democratic process; it was both rewarding and deeply sobering,” he said.

“During the campaign, I encountered the harsh living conditions facing working-class communities, including backyard dwellers and thousands of residents without running water, sanitation, electricity or adequate housing.

“After 32 years of democracy, it breaks my heart to witness people living under such conditions. My immediate concern is for the children: how do they study, grow, and experience dignity and humanity under these circumstances?

“I would like to express my heartfelt and sincere gratitude to my volunteers and supporters for their commitment and hard work throughout the campaign.

“Public service is never easy, but we do it because we believe in a cause greater than ourselves and in making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Whatever the election outcome, I am grateful to everyone who stood with me. Your support and contribution are sincerely appreciated.

“I would like to congratulate the incumbent and incoming Ward 110 councillor, Miss Shannon Rossouw, on earning the trust of the community and winning Ward 110.”

He said that he pledged his full support and commitment to assisting her wherever possible in her efforts to uplift the community, while remaining equally committed to holding her accountable through democratic processes when needed.

Pakkies, who made headlines in 2007 after she killed her drug-addicted son in Lavender Hill and was convicted before serving a suspended sentence with community service, did not respond to queries from the Weekend Argus through her party during her election campaign or today.

She said during an earlier interview that she had chosen to join politics to make a difference, citing that communities had suffered for too long.