{{short description|South African politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Francois Rodgers | native_name = | native_name_lang = | honorific_suffix = MPL | image = <!--If this is specified, "image" should not be.--> | alt = | caption = | office = Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council for Finance | premier = Thami Ntuli | term_start = 18 June 2024 | predecessor = Peggy Nkonyeni | successor = | office1 = Leader of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal | deputy1 = Chris Pappas<br/>Sthembiso Ngema | term_start1 = 27 March 2021 | term_end1 = 9 May 2026 | predecessor1 = Zwakele Mncwango | successor1 = Sithembiso Ngema | office2 = Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | status2 = | term_start2 = 21 May 2014 | office3 = Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | term_start3 = 14 March 2013 | term_end3 = 6 May 2014 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | office4 = Provincial Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance | deputy4 = Hlengiwe Shozi<br />Craig Miller<br />Shehana Kajee<ref name="IOL">{{cite news |last1=Pillay |first1=Kailene |title=WATCH: DA KZN re-elects Mncwango to lead |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/watch-da-kzn-re-elects-mncwango-to-lead-13092521 |access-date=27 March 2021 |agency=IOL |date=4 February 2018}}</ref> | term_start4 = 3 February 2018<ref name="IOL" /> | term_end4 = 27 March 2021 | predecessor4 = Haniff Hoosen | successor4 = Dean Macpherson | office5 = Deputy Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance | leader5 = Sizwe Mchunu | term_start5 = 17 March 2012<ref>{{cite news |title=Sizwe Mchunu elected DA KZN leader |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/page/en/advertise-with-us/sizwe-mchunu-elected-da-kzn-leader |access-date=27 March 2021 |agency=Politicsweb |date=17 March 2012}}</ref> | term_end5 = 25 April 2015 | predecessor5 = Sizwe Mchunu | successor5 = Mergan Chetty | birth_name = Francoise Adrianus Rodgers | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|9|10|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | citizenship = | party = Democratic Alliance | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | known_for = | committees = | portfolio = | awards = | website = }} '''Francoise Adrianus Rodgers''' (born 10 September 1961), known as '''Francois Rodgers''', is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal who has been the Member of the Executive Council for Finance since 2024. He served as the provincial leader of Democratic Alliance (DA) since 2021.
He is a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and the leader of the DA's caucus.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.news24.com/witness/news/kzn/das-rodgers-steps-up-as-caucus-leader-20210516 | title=DA's Rodgers steps up as caucus leader }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=DA in KZN announces caucus reshuffle |url=https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/da-in-kzn-announces-caucus-reshuffle-15599315 |accessdate=19 October 2019 |newspaper=IOL - The Mercury |date=21 June 2018}}</ref> He was previously the party's caucus chief whip. From 2013 to 2014, Rodgers was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mlambo |first1=Sihle |title=Focus on the DA: Is the party's KZN caucus diverse enough? |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/focus-on-the-da-is-the-partys-kzn-caucus-diverse-enough-23219339 |accessdate=19 October 2019 |newspaper=IOL |date=15 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodgers |first1=Francois |title=New DA KZN Caucus team ready to add value to Legislature |url=https://kzn.da.org.za/2019/05/new-da-kzn-caucus-team-ready-to-add-value-to-legislature |accessdate=19 October 2019 |newspaper=DA KZN |date=22 May 2019}}</ref>
Rodgers started his political career as a DA councillor in Kokstad. He had served as the Deputy Provincial Leader of the DA from 2012 to 2015, before becoming the party's Provincial Chairperson in 2018. In 2021, he announced that he would be running to replace Zwakele Mncwango, who had announced intention to retire, as the Provincial Leader of the party. He was endorsed by Mncwango and seen as the front-runner.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harper |first1=Paddy |title=Francois Rodgers tipped to win three-way battle for KZN DA leadership spot |url=https://mg.co.za/politics/2021-03-19-francois-rodgers-tipped-to-win-three-way-battle-for-kzn-da-leadership-spot/ |access-date=27 March 2021 |agency=Mail & Guardian |date=19 March 2021}}</ref> He was elected provincial leader on 27 March 2021, defeating the DA's caucus leader in eThekwini, Nicole Graham, and her deputy, Emmanuel Mhlongo.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mtshali |first1=Samkelo |title=Francois Rodgers named new DA provincial leader in KZN |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/francois-rodgers-named-new-da-provincial-leader-in-kzn-677b5b42-46d4-4a89-bc70-6acb8b4fa6a5 |access-date=27 March 2021 |agency=IOL |date=27 March 2021}}</ref>
In the 2024 provincial election, no party won a majority of seats in the provincial legislature. The DA formed part of a coalition with the Inkatha Freedom Party, the African National Congress, and the National Freedom Party which saw Rodgers appointed as the Member of the Executive Council for the Finance portfolio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ludidi |first=Velani |date=2024-06-18 |title=New KZN Premier Thami Ntuli announces cabinet |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-18-new-kzn-premier-thami-ntuli-announces-cabinet-during-inauguration-address/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref>
Rodgers announced his intention to retire as DA provincial leader in January 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phungula |first=Willem |date=2026-01-09 |title=Who will succeed Francois Rodgers as DA leader in KZN? |url=https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-01-12-who-will-succeed-francois-rodgers-as-da-leader-in-kzn/ |access-date=2026-05-27 |website=IOL |language=en}}</ref> Deputy Leader Sithembiso Ngema was elected to succeed him as the party's provincial congress in May 2026.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-05-09 |title=Sithembiso Ngema elected new DA KZN leader |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sithembiso-ngema-elected-new-da-kzn-provincial-leader/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260510194144/https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sithembiso-ngema-elected-new-da-kzn-provincial-leader/ |archive-date=2026-05-10 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=SABC News|language=en-US}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.pa.org.za/person/francois-adrianus-rodgers/ Mr Francoise Adrianus Rodgers – People's Assembly] {{Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|state=collapsed}} {{KwaZulu-Natal MPLs|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Francois}} Category:Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Category:Living people Category:Democratic Alliance (South Africa) politicians Category:White South African people Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2009–2014 Category:1961 births
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