Riyaz Patel
The DA has elected John Steenhuisen as its interim federal leader during a closed federal council meeting held at the party’s headquarters in Bruma, Johannesburg Sunday.
The party’s national spokesperson Solly Malatsi also confirmed that Ivan Meyer has been voted in as its interim federal chairperson.
The two leadership positions became vacant following leader Mmusi Maimane and chairman Athol Trollip’s surprise resignations, three days after Helen Zille was elected as the party’s Federal Council Chairperson in October.
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced his resignation a day earlier.
Zille succeeded party veteran James Selfe who had been in the position for nearly two decades.
Steenhuisen, the party’s current parliamentary leader who was facing off against Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana, told delegates, “The DA is about big principles, not big personalities.”
“I will shoot straight. I will not have different conversations with different people. My views will be consistent, and you will always know where you stand.”
While the DA’s ‘true liberals’ won today’s leadership tussle, the ‘progressives’ are gearing up for their fightback come congress, it’s been reported.
The DA is set for a gruelling few months in the run-up to next year’s elective congress, where its two warring factions will go head to head to decide on its future direction, according to City Press.
Those belonging to the so-called progressive faction reportedly said that they were under no illusions about Gana’s chances of victory, but it was still important for him to stand, out of principle.
They stated their intention of fielding their “real candidate” at the party’s federal congress, taking place in May next year.
Gana, meanwhile, wished Steenhuisen well on his victory. “Tomorrow morning I will be wearing my DA t-shirt and I will be campaigning.”
In his address to delegates Gana said: “If we still aspire to be in government nationally, we must show South Africans that we are capable of pursuing policies that can unlock opportunities for prosperity for all South Africans. And not just only pander to the fears of our base.”
The former youth leader made it clear earlier this week that the issue of race and the need to attract black voters remained the greatest dividers in the DA.
Steenhuisen’s election as DA leader means the party now has a new all white leadership.
The new list includes Steenhuisen as party leader, who has been nominated for the position of Parliamentary leader, Natasha Mazzone the Chief Whip and Geordin Hill-Lewis will likely take the CEO position, and of course Zille holding the reins as Federal Council chair.
Netizens were quick to latch on.
On theme, Steenhuisen said those who still suffer the effects of apartheid need to benefit from redress.
“But we don’t need to resort to crude race classification to do so. We can target redress policies directly at the poorest in our society, almost all of whom are black.
“The fact is, 25 years of race-based redress policies have made things far worse for the poor and the unemployed. Redress must actually improve the lives of poor South Africans, rather than just enrich the elite.”
He added, “Just because we’re at the centre of our political landscape, doesn’t mean we must try to be everything to everyone.”
