JOHANNESBURG - Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has been nominated unopposed to retain his position as DA federal leader ahead of the party's federal congress set for April 7 and 8 at the Tshwane Events Centre.
Long-serving DA federal council chairman James Selfe has also been nominated unopposed, DA federal congress chief electoral officer Anchen Dreyer said on Sunday.
Four nominations had been received for DA deputy federal council chairperson - Haniff Hoosen; Natasha Mazzone; Nkhumeni Ramulifho; and Thomas Charles Ravenscroft Walters.
Three nominations had been received for DA federal chairperson - Annelie Lotriet; Solly Tshepiso Msimanga; and Athol Trollip.
Several nominations had been received for the three deputy federal chairperson positions - Rollence Molamu Mabula; Ndwakhulu Greaterman Mafanedza; Ivan Henry Meyer; Nkele Malapo; Refiloe Nt’sekhe; Dumisani Sibusiso Thwala; Desiree van der Walt; and Mike Waters.
Nominated for DA federal finance chairperson were Dion George and Alf Lees.
Dreyer said this would be the largest congress in the history of the DA, drawing over 2000 delegates from all parts of the country, and would be reflective of the fact that the DA "is the most diverse party in South Africa".
The DA had exponentially grown since 2015 when it had just over 1200 delegates.
"The congress will also showcase how the DA is the only party to have grown through every election in democratic South Africa and how, as a party that governs 16 million South Africans, it has made significant progress in delivering to South Africans since the last congress in 2015. The nomination process is the first step towards electing leadership that will take the party through the campaign season, to 2019 and beyond," she said.
"The DA is proud of the fact that provincial congresses were conducted with no disputes declared. All processes as envisioned by the federal constitution were followed and we are able to constitute the federal congress smoothly.
"The DA is readying itself for national government as the only alternative to the ANC. We have proven where we govern that we can deliver a government that is corruption-free and can deliver for all. We demonstrated this sufficiently in the metros of Tshwane, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Cape Town, as well as in the Western Cape at large," Dreyer said.