[1] Later that year, he was elected Deputy Mayor of the Umtshezi Local Municipality.
[1] The African National Congress won control of the municipality in 2004 and Shelembe became an ordinary council member.
[5] In March 2019, he became a member of the Democratic Alliance and returned to parliament after the general elections in May that year.
[6][7] In June 2019, he was appointed as shadow deputy minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
[8] Shelembe remained in the position following John Steenhuisen's election as parliamentary leader.