Athol Trollip

Trollip was born in the town of Bedford in the Eastern Cape, attended Woodridge College, and studied Agricultural Management at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg.{{cite news |title=Who is Athol Trollip? |url=https://www.enca.com/south-africa/who-is-athol-trollip |access-date=6 December 2019 |agency=eNCA |date=18 August 2016}}

File:Athol Trollip at the DA's 2010 Federal Congress.jpg

Trollip joined the liberal Progressive Federal Party in 1980.{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Athol-Trollip-launches-mayoral-campaign-in-Mandela-Bay-20150912|title=Athol Trollip launches mayoral campaign in Mandela Bay|publisher=News24|date=12 September 2015|quote=I have spent the majority of my life in public service. I joined the DA’s predecessor party, the PFP, in 1980 because they were fighting against Apartheid, and my family supported that fight}} His political career began in earnest when he became a municipal councillor for the PFP's successor, the Democratic Party, in 1995. He was elected as provincial chairperson in 1998 and then as the renamed DA's leader in the Eastern Cape in 2002, a position he held for 15 years. Trollip served as a Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature between 1999 and 2009.

He unsuccessfully ran for party leader against Helen Zille in 2007.

In 2009, Trollip became a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly and after winning a leadership contest against Ryan Coetzee assumed the position of Parliamentary Leader of the DA. On 27 October 2011, Trollip was defeated in his bid for re-election as Parliamentary Leader of the DA by fellow MP Lindiwe Mazibuko.{{Cite web | title = Lindiwe Mazibuko elected DA parliamentary leader | last = Mokone | first = Thabo | work = Times LIVE | date = 27 October 2011 | access-date = 2016-08-04 | url = http://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2011/10/27/lindiwe-mazibuko-elected-da-parliamentary-leader }} He later left the National Assembly to return to the Eastern Cape Legislature in 2013,{{Cite news|url=http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/8503f2004fe5136d959cf70b5d39e4bb/Trollip-back-in-Eastern-Cape-vows-to-fight-for-rural-development-20130606|title=Trollip back in Eastern Cape, vows to fight for rural development|date=2013-06-06|work=SABC|access-date=2017-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081737/http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/8503f2004fe5136d959cf70b5d39e4bb/Trollip-back-in-Eastern-Cape-vows-to-fight-for-rural-development-20130606|archive-date=2016-03-04}} and was the DA's premier candidate in the Eastern Cape province for the 2014 general election.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dabhisho.org.za/2014/01/25/zille-announces-candidate-list-for-2014-election/|title=Zille announces candidate list for 2014 election|date=2014-01-25}} During this time, Trollip was involved with Helen Zille in welcoming King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo into the DA,{{Cite news|url=http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2013/07/16/king-joins-da/|title=King joins DA|last=Naude|first=Jason|date=2013-07-16|work=DispatchLIVE|access-date=2017-05-06|language=en-US}} despite his conviction on serious criminal charges. Dalindyebo was subsequently expelled from the DA when the conviction was upheld on appeal.

In 2015, Trollip returned to national prominence within the DA. On 13 April he was announced as the DA candidate for Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the 2016 Local Government Elections,{{Cite web|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Trollip-is-DA-mayoral-candidate-for-Mandela-Bay-20150413|title=Trollip is DA mayoral candidate for Mandela Bay|date=13 April 2015|work=News24|access-date=2016-08-04}} and was also elected as the Federal Chairperson of the DA at the party's Federal Congress in May.{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/our-new-leadership--da|title=Our new leadership - DA|last=van Damme|first=Phumzile|date=2015-05-10|website=Politics Web|language=en|access-date=2017-05-06}}

In 2016, Trollip was referred to the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC) for alleged human rights abuses and unfair labour practices on the family farm near Bedford in the Eastern Cape, allegations that he strenuously denied.{{Cite news|url=http://city-press.news24.com/News/athol-trollip-its-a-smear-campaign-20160229|title=Athol Trollip: It's a smear campaign|last=Ngcukana|first=Lubabalo|date=2016-02-29|work=CityPress|access-date=2017-05-06|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://city-press.news24.com/News/workers-accuse-athol-trollip-of-abuse-racism-20160229|title=Workers accuse Athol Trollip of abuse, racism|last=Ngcukana|first=Lubabalo|date=2016-02-29|work=CityPress|access-date=2017-05-06|language=en}} The HRC later abandoned the case, citing the difficulty of investigating events alleged to have happened between the 1970s and 2000s, and that the incidents happened before the current, constitutional dispensation and involved "issues of pre-jurisdiction".{{Cite web|url=http://ewn.co.za/2016/03/25/SAHRC-abandons-case-into-Athol-Trollip-mistreating-his-farmworkers|title=SAHRC abandons case into Athol Trollip mistreating his farmworkers|last=Koyana|first=Xolani|date=2016-03-25|website=Eyewitness News|access-date=2017-05-06}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/sahrc-drops-investigation-on-athol-trollip-family-20160329|title=SAHRC drops investigation on Athol Trollip family|last=Tandwa|first=Lizeka|date=2016-03-29|work=News24|access-date=2017-05-06}}

In the municipal elections held on 3 August 2016, the DA won a plurality of seats in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. With the help of the smaller parties such as the United Democratic Movement, Congress of the People and the African Christian Democratic Party, Trollip was elected as mayor of that municipality. He served in the position for 2 years, under which the metro received a ratings upgrade from Moody's.{{cite news |last1=Paulse |first1=Jayed-Leigh |title=Moody's upgrades NMB rating |url=http://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/moodys-upgrades-nmb-rating/ |access-date=6 December 2019 |newspaper=SABC News |date=29 April 2018}}

Tensions soon arose between Trollip and his deputy mayor from the UDM, Mongameli Bobani, requiring frequent interventions by the respective party leaderships to mend the relationship. The relationship eventually broke down and Bobani was ousted from the coalition in late 2017. After this, Trollip faced several no-confidence motions. One was tabled to be held on 30 March 2018. The vote was postponed, because the city council meeting descended into chaos due to the actions of the opposition parties.{{Cite web | title = Numbers remain on our side: NMB Mayor Athol Trollip | work = eNCA | date = 30 March 2018 | access-date = 2018-04-08 | url = https://www.enca.com/south-africa/numbers-remain-on-our-side-nmb-mayor-athol-trollip }}

In August 2018, DA councillor Victor Manyati abstained from voting in the no-confidence motion against the speaker, allowing the speaker to be removed. After the motion, the DA and its coalition partners left the council.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/athol-trollip-no-confidence-vote/|title=Breaking: Athol Trollip voted out of office as DA member flips on mayor|date=2018-08-27|work=The South African|access-date=2018-08-28|language=en-US}} The vote of no confidence in Trollip then occurred and succeeded. Bobani was then elected mayor with 61 votes in favour, and none against.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/eastern-cape/udms-mongameli-bobani-elected-new-mayor-of-nelson-mandela-bay-16765540 |title=UDM's Mongameli Bobani elected new mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay | publisher=IOL News |language=en |access-date=2018-08-27}} The DA legally challenged the removal of Trollip as executive mayor.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2018-08-28-da-heads-to-court-over-vote-ousting-athol-trollip/|title=DA heads to court over vote ousting Athol Trollip|access-date=2018-08-28|language=en-US}} The party alleged that there was no longer a quorum in the council when the vote occurred as Manyati's party membership had been suspended after he abstained.{{cite web |last1=reporter |first1=Citizen |title=DA maintains Trollip's ousting was unlawful, will head to court |url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/2000745/da-maintains-trollips-ousting-was-unlawful-will-head-to-court/ |website=The Citizen |date=27 August 2018 |language=en}} However, the high court upheld Bobani's appointment, stating that Manyati had still been a DA member at the time and as such there was a quorum. Trollip subsequently assumed the post of leader of the opposition of the Nelson Mandela Bay council.

In October 2019, he declared his intention to run for the post of Chairperson of the DA's Federal Council. The election was held later in October and Trollip lost to Helen Zille.{{cite news |last1=Chabalala |first1=Jeanette |title=Here's what the four DA candidates vying for James Selfe's position have to offer |url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/what-the-four-da-candidates-vying-for-james-selfes-position-have-to-offer-20191005 |access-date=5 October 2019 |agency=News24 |date=5 October 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Head |first1=Tom |title=Guess who's back? Helen Zille wins crucial DA Federal Council vote |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/helen-zille-da-vote-what-is-her-new-role/ |access-date=20 October 2019 |newspaper=The South African |date=20 October 2019}} He resigned as the party's federal chair, and resigned from all active roles within the DA on 23 October 2019, following the resignation of Party Leader Mmusi Maimane.{{cite news |last1=Head |first1=Tom |title=Just in: Mmusi Maimane officially resigns as DA leader |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/mmusi-maimane-resigns-da-reasons-who-will-replace/ |access-date=23 October 2019 |newspaper=The South African |date=23 October 2019}} Trollip resigned as a DA councillor in December 2019, following the ousting of Mongameli Bobani.{{cite news |last1=Trollip |first1=Athol |title=It is good that Mongameli Bobani has gone – Athol Trollip |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/removal-of-destructive-mayor-in-nmb-welcomed--atho |access-date=6 December 2019 |newspaper=Politicsweb |date=5 December 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Kimberley |first1=Michael |title=Trollip to step down as Bay councillor |url=https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2019-11-29-trollip-to-step-down-as-bay-councillor/ |access-date=14 December 2019 |agency=HeraldLIVE |date=29 November 2019}}

Trollip joined the ActionSA political party in 9 February 2022.{{Citation|title=ActionSA welcomes Athol Trollip in Gqeberha|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueNhs9rqBk|language=en|access-date=2022-02-09}}

Trollip is a fluent speaker of Afrikaans, English, and isiXhosa. He has two children. Trollip married Janine Handley on 5 November 2016 at Kasouga.{{Cite web | title = Janine Trollip | work = HeraldLIVE | access-date = 2018-04-08 | url = http://www.heraldlive.co.za/janine-trollip/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180330012315/http://www.heraldlive.co.za/janine-trollip/ | archive-date = 2018-03-30 | url-status = dead }}

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Category:1964 births

Category:Democratic Alliance (South Africa) politicians

Category:Living people

Category:Mayors of places in South Africa

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029

Category:People from Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality

Category:University of Natal alumni

Category:White South African people

Category:ActionSA politicians