The Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal leaders candidates, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Sedibeng caucus leader Sibusiso Dyonase, have made passionate political speeches in front of more than 2000 members in Midrand, Johannesburg, as they race for party leadership.
Dyonase says, “As your leader, my task is to ensure that South Africans unite behind the Democratic Alliance. [We will] strengthen internal democracy by empowering branches and ancillary structures, through inclusive representation to influence internal policy. Capacity building through investing in continuous training and development for activists and self-members to improve efficiency and professionalism. Value-driven leadership for actions and decisions with our core values…”
Geordin Hill-Lewis emphasises, “We have already govern better than anyone else in South Africa. Our history speaks for itself, our task now is to become a political home for the millions of South Africans who like us and feel warm towards us but don’t quite yet feel they can lend us their votes. And we will not do that by simply repeating that – we are better than the rest. Of course, we are better than the rest. But that is not the ceiling of our ambition. We must be the most hopeful option. The most credible option. The most serious option. And the most human option. We must become a party that more South Africans can see and hear. And that means building a political culture inside our party that reflects the country we want to build outside. A culture where we seek the best for one another. Where we celebrate each other’s successes. Where we uphold the highest standards. Where we exercise focus and discipline. And where we demonstrate service to all. That’s the standard and that is the culture I will seek to build.”
The new leadership is expected to steer the party into its next chapter after John Steenhuisen announced that he would not seek re-election.
Policy prospoals
More policy proposals will be tabled for discussion and adoption at the DA’s Federal Congress in Midrand, Johannesburg on Sunday.
Day one of the Congress concluded with a raft of some policy prospoals being adopted. They include promoting fair employment opportunities for workers over the age of 35, addressing the impact of online gambling and vaping regulations to safeguard teenagers, among others.
‘Most diversified organisation’
The leader of Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng, Solly Msimanga says the party is the most diversified political organisation in the country.
Msimanga has slammed claims that the departure of some black leaders from the party signals underlying racial tensions.
Msimanga is contesting the position of federal chairperson against Ivan Meyer. Voting for the party’s leadership is set to take place today.
Msimanga elaborates, “Both white and black people have left the DA. But it’s interesting that the media and our opponents will always want to drive only a certain analysis. People join an organization on free will, leave an organization on free will. Show me any other political party that is able to pull what you’re seeing here. Any political party that has the kind of diversity that you have here, you struggle to find it.”
VIDEO | DA Federal Congress | The party is stronger, bigger than before: John Steenhuisen
