Bhanga may gain Balindlela support in leadership race

NQABA Bhanga’s campaign to lead the DA in the Eastern Cape could gain a major boost with the backing of former Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela.

Bhanga announced last week that he would throw his hat into the ring to lead the DA when the party elects provincial leaders next month.

He is expected to face off with Veliswa Mvenya, who is the DA chairwoman in the Eastern Cape.

Balindlela, a DA member in the Eastern Cape legislature since November, was the provincial premier from 2004.

She was recalled in 2008 before the end of her term by the new ANC leadership that came into power in Polokwane in 2007.

She and Bhanga worked together as COPE MPs before they joined the DA in 2014.

According to DA sources, Balindlela still harbours ambitions for her old job as the Eastern Cape premier and is backing Bhanga in exchange for support of her candidacy in 2019.

Bhanga would neither confirm nor deny these talks, saying only the party was working hard to govern the province in 2019 and Balindlela was part of that plan.

“She [Balindlela] is a very important member of the party and will play a huge role in us winning the Eastern Cape in 2019,” Bhanga said.

“I’ll be happy if mama Nosimo supports me. She is one of the people who inspires me. We have worked together from COPE and she played a huge role in our success in Nelson Mandela Bay.”

Balindlela denied that she had decided to back Bhanga, saying: “Nomination processes have just started. None of the candidates have approached me. I will speak openly on who I support when the process has been completed.”

With regard to Bhanga’s support for her in the 2019 elections, she said: “There is no such deal. The DA is yet to talk about who will be its provincial premier candidate in 2019.”

Mvenya said there would be nothing wrong if Balindlela were to support Bhanga.

A DA insider, who supports Mvenya, said: “It won’t be a surprise that Balindlela supports Nqaba. The two were together in COPE. Maybe they are carrying on unfinished business which started from there.”