Mmusi Maimane faces an uphill battle as he struggles to form 'new party'

Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane is unlikely to get some of the party leaders to a new party that he is preparing to form. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane is unlikely to get some of the party leaders to a new party that he is preparing to form. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Nov 17, 2019

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Johannesburg - Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane is unlikely to get some of the party leaders to a new party that he is preparing to form.

DA Northern Cape leader Andrew Louw said he was Maimane’s close ally when the latter was still the leader of the party.

However, when asked if he would consider joining Maimane in forming the new party, Louw said: “No, no.”

“You must also understand that when I came to the party 17 years ago it was because I believed in the values of the party, and I still do.

“In the case of Mmusi, everybody has a right to his own opinion, but at the moment the DA is still the vehicle that can bring the real change in South Africa,” said Louw.

Soon after the election of Helen Zille as the federal council chairperson, Maimane, former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba and former federal chairperson Athol Trollip resigned.

Maimane later announced that he was in a process to form a new political vehicle that would be racially inclusive and drive the redress of the racial imbalances agenda, which he said was rejected in his former political home.

He added that he would be negotiating with civil society and non-governmental organisations.

Maimane said some of the people would be making an announcement soon on the new political vehicle.

But he did not mention any names.

Louw said the DA was the only political party that could save South Africa.

“Whether he (Maimane) comes with the party or whatever, no I am not joining him although I helped him when he was in the DA,” he said.

It was speculated that if the DA’s policy and elections conferences to take place early next year failed to decide to make race part of its agenda many black people would leave the party to follow Maimane.

However, an MP who asked to remain anonymous said he did not think Maimane would get a lot of people from the DA.

“If the party does not find clear common goals at the congress that binds everybody together that may cause challenges for the party.

"There would be some people who would want to step back,” he said.

However, he was not aware of people who expressed interest in joining Maimane.

“I don’t see a huge exodus from the DA to Maimane’s party. I cannot foresee that.”

Political Bureau

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