Fresh face of DA in KZN

Published Apr 26, 2015

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Durban - The door of hope slammed shut for Sizwe Mchunu who was ousted as the DA’s provincial leader in KwaZulu-Natal at the party’s elective congress in Richards Bay on Saturday.

He was beaten by just seven votes by eThekwini councillor and caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango.

Despite the heat and some robust voting, there were no serious altercations, with most of the party faithful enjoying the camaraderie with friends and colleagues, taking selfies, and sporting some natty headgear - everything from jaunty Panama hats to French berets, beaded headbands and scarves.

Still coming to terms with his victory, Mncwango said: “There is no individual who can claim victory, the DA has won. My plan is to unite the party.”

He said his mission was to transform the DA in rural areas.

“We will be talking to traditional leaders in deep rural areas so as to build support for the DA ahead of 2016 local government elections.”

The DA is the official opposition in KwaZulu-Natal and has a shot at capturing several metros around the country in next year’s local government elections.

Mchunu, who had been the party’s provincial leader since 2011, said he accepted the defeat with no reservations. “I’m happy for him; this shows that DA is a democratic party. I wish him everything of the best.”

During a press briefing, Mchunu initially hinted at some discrepancies leading up to the congress but then retracted the statement. “Let me just congratulate Mncwango. I’m happy for him and I throw my full support behind him,” he said.

Wilmot James, the outgoing federal chairman, and the leader of the DA in parliament, Mmusi Maimane, are both contesting the position of party leader after Helen Zille opted not to stand another term.

The national congress takes place in less than two weeks.

James told the delegates that he was the most suitable candidate to succeed Zille. “What we need is public debate about the future of our country and the future of our party. I challenge Mmusi Maimane to a public debate. I’m ready to debate anywhere, at anytime, I’m ready.”

Responding on the sidelines of the congress, Maimane said: “I don’t understand the logic behind his statement. We have been debating with him for four days. Why does he say he wants us to debate when are already debating?”

Maimane was full of praise for Zille. He said she would leave a vacuum but he was ready to lead the party. “I’m ready to take the party forward and continue where Helen left off,” he said.

Tex Collins, Dianne Kohler Barnard and Shehana Gaibie were elected deputy provincial chairpersons.

Meanwhile, Maimaine told the Sunday Tribune that he was not intimidated by Julius Malema in Parliament. “Not at all,” he said during a brief break in proceedings.

“What he says doesn’t affect me or the DA. He is not taking his party into the future. It is all about now.”

He was responding to the EFF leader’s recent assertion that the “new DA man” was a “good priest, but not a politician.”

Maimaine said he was far more worried about Jacob Zuma. “He is leading us down a dangerous path. We must all be aware of it. We cannot afford to take our eye off the ball, not for a day, not for a minute.

“Zuma knows that once he relinquishes power he has many issues to face. So he will hang on at whatever cost – even if it is bad for the country.”

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal said it was ready for the breakthrough that would end the ANC’s rule in the province.

Leaders of the party committed themselves to stopping what they claimed was the “paralysis” brought on by weak leadership in the province.

Mchunu said the ANC was hanging on to power in any way it could and that it had broken its promises to the people over key issues such as job creation, service delivery and education.

He said that “rooted” loyalty to Zuma was at the heart of the problem, which continued despite the abuse of government resources.

“But from what we hear on the ground, there is a despair and yearning for change”

He said that 42 percent of people in the province were living below the poverty line, and that job opportunities simply didn’t exist.

“It is only a select few that are being enriched. It is now time for a credible party to protect democracy. It’s time to leap.”

In a congress buzzing with chatter, clapping and song, the scene for deliberation was set with the showing of an evocative video, highlighting the beauty spots of the province with the grim, warning words that “behind its glory lie deep, dark secrets”.

KwaZulu-Natal, the narration continued, “is a province ripped apart by drug wars, violent protests, horrific road accidents, home invasions, out of control crime, service delivery, load shedding and xenophobia.”

It was everything one would expect an opposition party to focus on. – Additional reporting by Liz Clarke

Sunday Tribune

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