Caucus boss whips DA into line
FORGET IT: President Jacob Zuma is staying despite growing calls for his resignation OUTSPOKEN support by party chief whip John Steenhuisen has consolidated support for the DA caucus leadership, nipping several planned rebellions in the bud.
Steenhuisen told his caucus he could not do his job without his deputy, Mike Waters, DA insiders have confirmed.
The DA’s chief whip refused to confirm or deny his ultimatum to the caucus.
“Caucus confidentiality precludes me from commenting,” he said.
Steenhuisen’s support of Waters was met by applause from a substantial part of the DA caucus, the Sunday Times has learnt.
His intervention — which strengthens the position of Waters, a favourite of the party’s liberal wing — is expected to ensure continued unity in a caucus that was heavily divided between 2009 and 2014 as a result of infighting between supporters of former parliamentary leaders Athol Trollip and Lindiwe Mazibuko.
Although Waters was the clear frontrunner to be re-elected, Steenhuisen’s comments brought an end to the efforts of a Gauteng grouping pushing for Waters to be replaced by Johannesburg-based MP Cameron Mackenzie.
The DA elects all its caucus officials — except the party leader and chief whip — every two and a half years.
The DA party leader is elected by the DA federal congress, and automatically becomes parliamentary caucus leader if they are an MP.
The leader of the party’s caucus appoints the chief whip, but all other leadership positions are contested and democratically elected.
Nominations for the caucus elections, which will take place on Thursday, closed on Friday, with a planned rebellion against some senior leaders failing to materialise because the challengers realised they could not muster the support needed to succeed.
Waters will now be elected deputy chief whip unopposed. Gauteng MP Anchen Dreyer will be returned unopposed as caucus chairwoman, as will be her deputy, Richard Majola.
Eastern Cape MP Malcolm Figg will be elected treasurer of the caucus.
An intense battle is expected for the 13 whip positions, which carry financial benefits. A total of 22 candidates have been nominated, including all serving whips.
It had been expected that Dreyer would be challenged by Majola.
Dreyer’s supporters said she kept a firm grip on the caucus of 103 and ran a tight ship, being strict on truancy and keeping MPs from making long-winded contributions.
Critics claimed she was overly strict and had ruffled feathers by checking up on the veracity of apologies when MPs miss compulsory Thursday morning caucus meetings.
It is understood that Majola — a former speaker of the Western Cape legislature — was strongly supported by a well-organised OVER MY DEAD BODY: Chief whip John Steenhuisen TIGHT SHIP: Caucus chairwoman Anchen Dreyer Western Cape lobby and several black MPs, but did not have enough support to threaten Dreyer. I’M BY YOUR SIDE: Deputy chief whip Mike Waters
Caucus confidentiality precludes me from commenting
STRONG BACKING: Deputy chairman Richard Majola
DA national spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme said she could not comment.