East Cape DA leaders back Maimane, Trollip

JUST a few days before the DA’s national federal congress is convened in Port Elizabeth, the party’s Eastern Cape executive has thrown its support behind Mmusi Maimane for the leadership position.

Contacted individually for comment yesterday, members of the DA provincial executive committee, including MP Nosimo Balindlela, announced their support for Maimane to lead the party over Wilmot James.

They also threw their weight behind Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip for the party’s federal council chair position.

Trollip said yesterday he was confident he and Maimane would emerge victorious at the congress, which convenes on Saturday.

He said Maimane was the candidate best suited to take the party forward when Helen Zille stepped down.

Trollip said Maimane would make inroads into a voter market that had, until recently, been almost the sole preserve of the ANC.

Other Eastern Cape leaders to come out in support of Maimane and Trollip included provincial chairwoman Veliswa Mvenya, provincial deputy leaders Terrence Fritz and Bobby Stevenson, and Buffalo City Metro caucus chairman Jan Smit.

Mvenya said the reason she was supporting Trollip was for him to assist the new leaders and mentor them.

“I want Trollip to go and support Mmusi. He [Maimane] has immense potential and now he needs someone that is not selfish and I know Trollip is a good mentor and he will work well with Mmusi. I am also his protege, I know he is supportive,” Mvenya said.

Stevenson said the DA would garner more support and growth under Maimane and Trollip’s leadership.

“They have the vision and the energy to take the DA forward. In the Eastern Cape under Trollip’s leadership we have just won the University of Fort Hare.

“Trollip is a person who resonates with all communities in the province and across the country; that is the same with Maimane,” Stevenson said.