Chris Pappas

The Democratic Alliance’s Chris Pappas is set to be the first openly gay major in South Africa. Image via Facebook Chris Pappas for Mayor

History in the making: Chris Pappas will be SA’s first openly gay mayor

‘It is who I am. I can’t change that and would not want to’: Meet uMngeni mayor-elect Chris Pappas who will be South Africa’s first openly gay major.

Chris Pappas

The Democratic Alliance’s Chris Pappas is set to be the first openly gay major in South Africa. Image via Facebook Chris Pappas for Mayor

The municipal elections took place on Monday 1 November and one man who was certainly pleased about the results was Chris Pappas. Pappas is the mayor-elect for the uMngeni local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and he will also be South Africa’s first openly gay mayor. 

WHO IS CHRIS PAPPAS?

Chris Pappas grew up in Mooi River, a small town in KwaZulu-Natal and matriculated from the prestigious Hilton College in 2009. The 30-year-old’s political career kicked off while he was studying urban and regional planning at the University of Pretoria. He was also the temporary president of the university’s student representative council (SRC).

He has been a part of the DA’s KZN legislature since 2019 and has been the party’s deputy provincial leader since 2021. 

The DA’s KZN leader Francois Rodgers described Pappas as “extremely intelligent” and said he was the right fit for the uMngeni municipality. 

“He also has a great understanding of business and the economy and I think that will be another big asset to him to build up tourism, the economy and to encourage business and industry into that area,” Rodgers told the Daily Maverick

The Democratic Alliance (DA) won 47.41% of the municipality making it their first municipality win in KZN.

PAPPAS ON BEING SA’S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAYOR

Pappas explained that he wouldn’t have considered not being open about his sexuality to voters. 

“It is who I am. I can’t change that and would not want to,” he told MambaOnline

“Obviously all our unique feathers, histories and characteristics are a part of who we are as well as our unique lived experiences.”

Speaking on the significance of an openly gay politician becoming a mayor in South Africa, he said: 

“I think that the significance is not in being gay but knowing that a gay man has the right to run for office. That he can run without needing to justify or defend his existence but rather his plan and ability to get the job done compared to other candidates.”

“This said, there are still many challenges that face the LGBTQI+ community in South Africa and on the continent and we must work harder to realise the words written in the Constitution.” 

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PAPPAS IS FLUENT IN ISIZULU!

Interestingly enough, Chris Pappas is also fluent in isiZulu. He has been praised for speaking isiZulu to voters while campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal. 

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE