By Simon Nare
DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille has not ruled herself out of running for the party’s leadership position in the next elective congress, as it emerged that current leader John Steenhuisen is under siege and is likely to be replaced.
Speaking on a radio programme on Thursday, Zille said if she was nominated in the congress, she would be up to the task to contest. It was unclear whether she wants to contest the top position or other senior federal positions.
“I have more energy than I had when I was 20,” Zille said when asked if she had the energy for it.
Zille, however, said she still had confidence in Steenhuisen and worked well with him.
A towering figure in the DA and seen as influential in who takes over, it remains to be seen if she will command enough support to get the nomination after she stepped down in 2015, saying it was time for the party to benefit from fresh blood. She had led the party since 2007.
Her availability comes at a time when there are questions around the leadership of Steenhuisen, who is seen as weak and lacks the depth to take party to new heights after leading it to be part of the Government of National Unity.
Speaking on Radio 702 with Clement Manyathela, Zille poured cold water on suggestions that she played a key role on who took over the leadership of the party.
She argued that as council chairperson her role was merely overseeing the nomination and electoral process, and that she only had a single vote like any other delegate at the congress.
Zille was hitting back at political analyst Lukhanyo Mnguni and columnist Peter Bruce on rumours that Steenhuisen’s time was up as party leader, and that the DA may convene an early election this year to vote him out.
The two commentators were being hosted on the radio programme.
DA Federal Chairperson Ivan Meyer was quick to quash speculations of an early congress, saying they were misguided as the constitution of the party dictated that elective conference be held every three years.
He said in a statement that according to the party calendar, the congress was scheduled for 2026 and would be preceded by a policy conference comprising an extended Federal Council as required by the constitution.
“The DA’s calendar over the next two years includes all these constitutionally prescribed markers. Media speculation suggesting otherwise has no foundation in any decision-making structure of the party,” said Meyer.
In the radio proramme both Mnguni and Bruce described Steenhuisen as a weak leader who lacked political and intellectual depth and did not rise to the occasion.
According to talk in the corridors, they said that Steenhuisen was not coming back as party leader and Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis was tipped as a favourite to take over.
Mnguni went further to say that Hill-Lewis was Zille’s favourite, and in some circles in the party he was regarded as her son.
Zille hit back, saying political analysts tended to make comments based on headlines with little knowledge of what was going on within the party or how decisions were taken.
“I will have no say whatsoever except one vote in the succession, if there is a succession in the DA. There is absolutely no question of me influencing who the party chooses as the next party leader,” she said.
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