DURBAN: WHILE the road to the DA’s KwaZulu-Natal congress has been marred by allegations of gate-keeping and intimidation tactics, it’s all systems go for their conference, to be held in less than two weeks at the Olive Convention Centre on February 3. About 600 voting delegates are expected to attend.
Former provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu, who was un- seated by Zwakele Mncwango in 2015, is among the many members who have taken to social media to air their concerns about the process leading up to the congress.
On Friday, he wrote on Facebook, without mentioning names: “The rumors and news of people being threatened, belittled and attacked for exercising their democratic choice is tantamount to hooliganism, tyranny and foreign to our cause. We indeed have been infiltrated by foreign and egocentric tendencies. There also appears be that ‘short man syndrome’ at play here.”
DA eThekwini councillor Christopher Pappas, wrote on Facebook: “I am even more motivated than ever to be involved in implementing a ‘real plan’ for the administration of the DA in KZN. Tonight one could feel the tensions and intimidation that people are experiencing. Delegates and members sharing their experiences of how they are threatened and bullied. How they are publically humiliated in front of residents. How fear is used to subjugate people. To arrive at a venue and be told that someone had been there an hour earlier and told the caretaker to leave because the event is cancelled.
“In the words of an elderly gentleman from Imbali township, ‘we need to save the DA in KZN so that we can save South Africa from the ANC’.”
Outgoing provincial chairperson Haniff Hoosen said those who had complaints about the process must lodge them with party structures.
Hoosen, who had served for two terms (six years), has decided to bow out, “And going to where I love the most, on the ground and hear people’s stories. I love that,” he said.
Party caucus leader in the KZN legislature Francois Rodgers and DA MP Dean Mcpherson are vying for the position.
Rodgers, whose political career spans decades, said he opted to contest for the post because of the deteriorating state of the country under the leadership of the ANC.
“If I’m elected, one of my priorities will be to better the lives of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Things have really gone from bad to worse under the leadership of the ANC.”
Like Mncwango, Rodgers said topping his agenda if he were elected was to decrease the ANC’s support in the province during next year’s general elections.
“The ANC is divided and, as the DA, we have an opportunity to bring them below 50%. And for us to do that, we have shifted away from criticising the ANC to us providing alternatives to the people.”
With the DA plagued by allegations of factionalism ahead of the congress, Rodgers stressed that he was not part of any slate in the DA. He lauded Hoosen for the role he played as chairperson and in unifying the party in the province.
Rodgers, a former chairperson of the Sisonke constituency (southern KZN), which has predominantly black support, said: “It helped me a great deal to be able to converse in Xhosa in growing my constituency. I have no doubt that if I’m elected I will be able to help the party grow its black voters.”
The congress will see two candidates contesting the posi- tion of party leader, four will go head to head for the position of deputy leader, two will fight for the chairpersonship, while nine will face off for the deputy chairperson post.
Insiders say this is one of the hottest contested congresses the party has held.
While Hoosen said anyone in the DA could contest for positions, he urged members to choose the “right” leadership.
Mncwango, who endorsed Rodgers, had consistently said that his priority was to grow the DA in rural areas, which Rodgers appreciated.
Mncwango accepted the nomination to retain his posi- tion as party leader. He will lock horns with the party’s eThekwini councillor, Emmanuel Mhlongo.
While Rodgers was concerned about Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s IFP regaining lost ground in the province, he was confident that the DA would continue on an upward trajectory in rural areas.