"Might Become a DA Member”: DA Takeover Rural Area in Ward 12 Election Campaign Video

• DA uMngeni shared a video of Mayor Pappas leading a march through Lions River's dusty village roads with residents
• The group wore matching blue campaign T-shirts, and the video quickly gained attention across South Africa
• South Africans applauded the DA mayor for campaigning on the ground in a rural community

A DA campaign video out of Lions River, KwaZulu-Natal, has South Africans talking. Posted on 21 July 2026 by DA uMngeni on Facebook, the clip shows Mayor Pappas leading a group of residents through the dirt roads of a rural area in Ward 12. The mood is energetic and celebratory.

The video, filmed selfie-style while the group walks together, shows participants dressed in matching blue DA T-shirts. The march took place on unpaved village roads, far from a polished campaign stage.

Mayor Pappas marches in uMngeni

The video sparked a wave of reactions online, with many South Africans saying it was refreshing to see a mayor physically present in a rural community rather than speaking from behind a podium. Watch the Lions River campaign march that got South Africa talking:

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South Africans react to DA in rurals

Some commenters expressed support regardless of party affiliation, while others questioned how representative the turnout was of the wider ward. Read the comments below:

Sibonile Chiliza wrote:

"Mbalula and Mantashe think this is AI for sure."

Buhle said:

"Mayor Pappas, I am not from Howick but I do go there maybe once a month. You are amazing and may God protect you and bless you."

Sphindiwe Khanyile added:

"Thatha Pappas thatha, authentic transformation leader through and through. Your leadership continues to transform uMngeni."

Mandla B-man Khoza shared:

"I'm no DA member but I think I might start being one."

Mlamuli Bophela wrote:

"South Africa loves Papa. We can relate with him, he is not far from us. Papa's is us."

Stanlejy Dos Santos said:

"That's what you call a mayor on the ground getting his shoes dirty on those dusty roads, viva DA viva."

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Bukhosi Mxolisi Dlamini questioned:

"I'd love to see the data that says this small group of 6 people represents the ward's views on DA."

Other Briefly News stories about DA

• Helen Zille's unconventional approach to her mayoral campaign in Johannesburg, where she took to the DJ booth at Lock Stock & Beer to engage with younger voters.
• The controversy surrounding Helen Zille's private meeting with the anti-immigrant group March and March, which has sparked criticism from senior Democratic Alliance leaders.
• Helen Zille’s quirky campaign to become the mayor of Johannesburg, where she used a damaged traffic light to engage with local high school students in a creative display of civic awareness.

Source: Briefly News