Larry Varrie has resigned from the Pan African Congress's (PAC) Cape Town mayoral race to join the National Coloured Congress (NCC) as its new deputy president. This dramatic political switch comes ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Varrie's decision was announced on Friday, before NCC leader Fadiel Adams revealed the news during a Facebook Live session. Adams stated that Varrie joined the party without seeking a position or financial reward.
According to Adams, Varrie gave up a guaranteed seat in the council to become a member of the NCC. Adams expressed his admiration for Varrie's family, who have been advocating for the Coloured community for a long time. Varrie, in turn, stated that his decision was driven by his vision for the Cape Flats and the need to create greater economic opportunities for residents. He emphasized the importance of building wealth within the community.
Varrie highlighted the challenges faced by young professionals in the Cape Flats, who often leave the area once they start earning better salaries due to difficulties in building wealth through property and concerns about infrastructure and safety. He believes that the Cape Flats must be made a place where people want to stay, buy property, and build a legacy. Varrie also stressed the significance of Mitchells Plain in the upcoming local government elections.
Mitchells Plain will be a major focus for the NCC ahead of the local government elections. Varrie stated that whoever wins Mitchells Plain wins Cape Town. He emphasized the importance of Coloured communities standing together to achieve their goals. However, not everyone agrees with Varrie's assessment. Cape Town content creator and DA Ward 111 candidate Cedric Laguma responded to Varrie's comments.
Laguma dismissed Varrie's claims, stating that a simple Google search would reveal that Mitchells Plain has only nine seats in the City of Cape Town. He also expressed skepticism about the NCC's chances of winning the city. Laguma criticized Varrie and the NCC leadership, calling them "clowns." The exchange highlights the competitive nature of the upcoming local government elections.
The NCC's decision to focus on Mitchells Plain and the Cape Flats may be seen as a strategic move to gain support from the Coloured community. Varrie's experience and knowledge of the area could prove valuable to the party. However, the DA and other parties will likely contest the NCC's efforts to win over voters.
The local government elections are expected to be highly competitive, with various parties vying for control of Cape Town. The NCC's new leadership and Varrie's high-profile defection from the PAC are likely to make the elections more interesting. The outcome will depend on various factors, including the parties' campaigns and the voters' responses to their messages.
Key points
- Larry Varrie quits PAC's Cape Town mayoral race to join NCC as deputy president.
- Varrie cites need for economic opportunities in Cape Flats as reason for joining NCC.
- Mitchells Plain seen as key area of focus for NCC ahead of 2026 local government elections.
