DA unlikely to implode, says analyst

DESPITE heightened tensions over racial representation within the DA’s ranks, a political analyst doesn’t believe this will lead to the party’s “implosion” .

The party’s two-day federal congress at the Tshwane Events Centre begins today amid heightened tensions over representivity, and participation of its black members in the party’s decision-making bodies.

Political analyst Susan Booysen said the internal racial quotas debate within the DA was nothing new – it had been there for over a decade.

Tensions have now reached boiling point as many of these DA black members have escalated their battle and want their party’s constitution to be amended to include a diversity clause.

Ahead of the congress, they said although the party’s black membership had swelled, senior positions were almost exclusively held by whites.

Now these aggrieved members – who include the DA’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango, Eastern Cape provincial leader Nqaba Bhanga, Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana and the Joburg regional chairperson Khume Ramulifho – want the federal conference to endorse their view.

However, yesterday, Maimane, in an interview on SABC TV, was non-committal on the matter. He reiterated the comments he made to The Star – that his party was the most diverse in the country.

“Others believed in Afrikaner nationalism and others in African nationalism and the DA believes in South African nationalism, where black, white, Indian and coloured join the party in support of a similar policy,” he said.

Maimane denied there were rifts in his party. Independent Media revealed this week that a group led by senior MPs Michael Cardo and Gavin Davies, were opposed to the diversity clause inclusion in the party constitution.

According to Booysen, the primary motive of the pro-diversity clause grouping was to grow their party’s electoral support beyond 25% and to compete for support with the ANC.