By Angela Quintal and Boyd Webb
Sandra Botha, a Free State MP and long-time liberal, was elected the Democratic Alliance's new parliamentary leader on Thursday, a triumph for the party's Young Turks.
She narrowly beat the conservative contender, former NP cabinet minister Tertius Delport. Pundits believed it would have been be a step backwards for the DA had he been elected.
The vote was 31 to 25 and included a ballot cast by party leader Helen Zille who is not an MP and remains mayor of Cape Town, prompting the need for someone else to lead the party in parliament.
Botha said in a recent interview with Finweek that she was a liberal and an Afrikaner, and that it was wrong to view Afrikaners as inflexible conservatives.
Delport did not wait to witness Botha's triumph at a press conference, but had earlier pledged in the caucus meeting to support her. An MP described his speech as "gracious".
At the party's national election earlier this month, Delport lost to another woman when he contested the post of federal legal commission chairperson. He was defeated by Sheila Camerer.
He said on Thursday that he intended to retire from politics in 2009. "It will be an easy cruise to my retirement in two years," was his brief comment.
Botha, who held the key post in the National Assembly of one of three house chairpersons, will vacate this position to become the Leader of the Official Opposition, a title provided for in the constitution for the leader of the majority opposition party in the House.
On Thursday, Botha resigned her House chair position which was offered to her in her personal capacity by National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete. If a new salary scale comes into effect, Botha will receive R939 700 a year in he new post, as opposed to the recommended House chair salary of R1,11-million.
Botha made clear she would be guided by Zille, and dismissed suggestions that she was too nice for the demands of the job, which include having to square up to the president in parliament.
"I think in terms of the cut and thrust, I have stood my ground since I was in school. I have no issue with that. I say what I think is right, but I think that there are ways I can say it.
"I hope the way that I will do it, will be to the benefit of the DA and that it won't be seen as a disadvantage and that it can add a new dimension to South African politics."
In her reaction, Mbete expressed the hope that Botha would reconsider her decision to resign as chairperson.
"I see no reason why she can't do both. After all, she does not have the responsibilities that a party leader would have. I see no reason why I should have to replace her," she added.
Mbete said Botha had contributed tremendously to a complex institution over a long period of time and had picked up a vast amount of knowledge.
"Stepping down would be disruptive and I see no reason for that. I would not easily throw away such experience for a reason that does not amount to much," she said.
Botha, meanwhile, took up the National Assembly front bench once filled by Tony Leon, hours after she was elected on Thursday. She received applause, including from the ANC benches, with ANC chief whip Andries Nel adding that "we hope under her leadership we will be able to forge a closer working relationship in the interest of national unity, consolidating democracy and creating a better life for all".
Others who were elected on Thursday included former Gauteng leader Ian Davidson as the new chief whip (unopposed), his deputy Mike Ellis, also re-elected unopposed, and the four new National Assembly whips - Paul Swart, Sandy Kalyan, Donald Lee and Willem Doman.
The parliamentary caucus chairperson remains Kraai van Niekerk, with James Masango and Janet Semple his deputies.
In the National Council of Provinces, Watty Watson was re-elected as DA leader. Juanita Terblanche was also re-elected the party whip.
Introducing her new team, Zille said: "It's a great team. It's a diverse team. We are becoming the party we want to be..."
She had a special word of thanks for Douglas Gibson, who on Thursday decided not to stand as parliamentary leader and also opted not to stand again as chief whip.
Meanwhile, there was at least one ecstatic MP at Thursday's press conference, Botha's husband, Andries.