Leadership choices ‘could spell end for DA’

THE DA’s failure to recognise the importance of race in the country and its insistence that it should not be a factor was naive, and may put the party on a downward spiral.

This was the view of political analysts following the party’s KwaZulu-Natal congress, held at the weekend.

At the congress, Francois Rodgers was elected as the new party leader in the province, taking over from Zwakele Mncwango. Chris Pappas was elected as his deputy, Dean Macpherson emerged as chairperson, and Sithembiso Ngema, Shehana Kajee and Elma Rabe were elected as deputy chairs.

With Ngema being the only African elected at the congress, race and diversity in the party took centre stage again, with many on social media questioning the move.

Political analysts forecast that the party would not remove the IFP as the official opposition in KZN and was in danger at national level of losing its official opposition status to the EFF in the next general election.

But Rodgers defended the election outcome and said it was the will of the DA delegates, who are majority black.

“I don’t see colour, I see only South Africans. Secondly, that is suggesting that the delegates do not have a right to choose,” Rodgers said.

But the analysts said the party’s failure to recognise the importance of race in the country and its insistence that it should not be a factor was naive and showed its failure to understand the political realities confronting the country.

Soon after DA member Mbali Ntuli posted the list of those elected on her Twitter timeline, some of her followers expressed concern.

One user posted on Twitter: “Three white men on top!? The DA is committing suicide on a daily basis. An insult to the African majority.”

Another said: “So sorry Mbali … the slide white & right continues … a sad end to a viable opposition.”

A third post read: “Three white men in the top positions. I despair!”

“It is concerning that in KwaZulu-Natal, where the majority of the population is black and Zulu speaking, only one black person is in the leadership,” said political analyst Bheki Mngomezulu.

“While this is concerning, it is not surprising. It is a copy-and-paste of what has been happening at national level, where all the leadership is white. The party seem to have gone back to its roots, it’s more concerned about protecting what it has than growing by attracting more black voters.

“The hope that black people held out when they saw people like Zwakele Mncwango being elected is now dead.

“We have seen black leaders exit, the likes of Mmusi Maimane, Lindiwe Mazibuko … and although Zwakele is not leaving the party, he had chosen not to contest the leadership position. Black people are leaving the party.”

Mngomezulu said this could be the beginning of the end for the party. “The party is on a downward spiral, at this rate I see them being replaced by the EFF as the official opposition. In KwaZulu-Natal, they are unlikely to ever become the official opposition.”

Political analyst Imraan Buccus said the optics were not good but in line with the ideological orientation of the party. At this rate, he said, the party would struggle to attract black voters.

“They (DA) are out of touch with the political dynamics of the country. This will not help the party garner any votes and in fact could contribute to the implosion of the party,” he said.

Analyst Thabani Khumalo said the DA was cleansing itself of any pretence it represented all South Africans.

“The party is going back to its roots to represent white people, the minority groups and the black middle class,” he said.

Rodgers said over the years the party had shown growth, especially in black areas.

“The election of candidates was free and fair, displaying true democracy at work. We are pleased with the good-spirited contestation, demonstrating a firm and sincere commitment to democratic principles within the DA in KZN.”