Martin Meyer (politician) explained

Martin Meyer
Honorific-Suffix:MPL
Office:Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council for Public Works and Infrastructure
Premier:Thami Ntuli
Term Start:18 June 2024
Predecessor:New portfolio
Office1:Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal
Alongside1:Hannah Winkler, Hlengiwe Shozi
Term Start1:29 April 2023
Office2:Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature
Term Start2:22 May 2019
Nationality:South African
Party:Democratic Alliance
Occupation:Politician

Lukas Marthinus Meyer is a South African politician who has been KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Works and Infrastructure since 2024 and a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature since May 2019, representing the Democratic Alliance. Meyer had previously served as a DA councillor in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality from 2011 to 2019.

Political career

Meyer was elected as a ward councillor in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality for the Democratic Alliance in 2011. From 2013 to 2016, he was deputy leader of the DA caucus in the metro and served as the DA whip on the metro's Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee.[1]

Meyer was elected to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature in 2019 as one of 11 DA members. He was then appointed as the DA's spokesperson on Human Settlements and Public Works.[2]

Meyer and DA councillor, Caelee Laing, introduced a resolution to promote legislation to make conversion therapy of LGBTIQ+ youth under the age of 18 illegal at the 2020 Democratic Alliance Federal Congress; the resolution was passed by voting delegates.[3]

In January 2021, Meyer was appointed the party's spokesperson on agriculture and rural development.[4] More than a year later, he was promoted to spokesperson on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in April 2022.[5] Meyer was elected chairperson of the DA caucus in the provincial legislature in November 2022.[1]

Meyer criticised the South African government for not condemning the controversial Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023, saying that it is a betrayal of South Africa's queer community.[6]

At the DA's provincial elective conference held at the Durban International Convention Centre on 29 April 2023, Meyer was elected as the first deputy provincial chairperson of the party. DA Member of Parliament Hannah Winkler and eThekwini councillor Hlengiwe Shozi were elected alongside him.[7]

Following his re-election to the Provincial Legislature in the 2024 provincial election, Meyer was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Works and Infrastructure by the newly elected premier from te Inkatha Freedom Party, Thami Ntuli, as part of the provincial coalition government agreement.[8] He is the first openly LGBTIQ+ person to serve in the province's Executive Council.[9]

Personal life

Meyer is openly gay.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DA welcomes Martin Meyer as KZN Legislature Caucus Chairperson . 2023-05-14 . Democratic Alliance - KwaZulu-Natal.
  2. Web site: New DA KZN Caucus team ready to add value to Legislature . 2023-05-14 . Democratic Alliance - KwaZulu-Natal.
  3. Web site: DA reaffirms its commitment to South Africa’s LGBTIQ+ community – Martin Meyer - POLITICS Politicsweb . 2023-05-14 . www.politicsweb.co.za . en.
  4. Web site: Felix . Jason . Mbali Ntuli shuffled as DA in KwaZulu-Natal makes sweeping changes to legislature . 2023-05-14 . News24 . en-US.
  5. Web site: 7 April 2022 . DA announces KZN Legislature MPL portfolio changes . 14 May 2023 . Polity.
  6. Web site: Goba . Thabiso . DA leaders condemn govt's silence on Uganda's anti-gay law . 2023-05-14 . ewn.co.za . en.
  7. Web site: Roux . Cornelia Le . 2023-04-29 . DA KZN Congress: Landslide leadership victory for Rodgers, Mcpherson . 2023-05-14 . The Citizen . en.
  8. Web site: Ludidi . Velani . 2024-06-18 . New KZN Premier Thami Ntuli announces cabinet . 2024-07-06 . Daily Maverick . en.
  9. Web site: Igual . Roberto . 2024-06-20 . Martin Meyer Becomes First Out LGBTIQ+ MEC in KZN . 2024-07-06 . MambaOnline - Gay South Africa online . en-US.