Mmusi mulls premier role
Conflict brews within DA as other candidates take umbrage at perceived betrayal
FACED with the possibility that he might not be the next president of South Africa, given Cyril Ramaphosa’s “new dawn” appeal, DA leader Mmusi Maimane chose a safer bet by aiming to be the next premier of the Western Cape.
This has put him in direct conflict with other contenders to the throne, with provincial DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela particularly upset.
“It’s Mmusi’s right to stand on any list, according to our constitution. The question is whether that decision is in the interest of the party in terms of our national strategic goals, and I think not,” Madikizela said yesterday.
Maimane was expected to make a public announcement on the DA’s premier candidate for Western Cape yesterday, but the briefing was postponed at the eleventh hour.
Officially, the party said it wanted to make the candidates for premier and mayor of Cape Town known at the same briefing, but insiders said the announcement was postponed because Maimane was still working with party structures.
Apart from Madikizela, other candidates include Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde, DA MP David Maynier, and Fazloodien Abrahams, who is a DA member and lawyer. It is understood that Winde came out as the highest-scoring candidate.
Maimane’s spokesperson, Portia Adams, confirmed that discussions were under way.
“Mr Maimane is discussing it. His key consideration is what is best for the DA and for the residents of the Western Cape. He is still considering the matter, and is in extensive discussions with party structures,” Adams said.
She said the party’s priority was to ensure that they continued building on the gains of the past decade of government.
The provincial DA is expected to make an announcement on further outcomes tomorrow. ANC Cape Town leader Xolani Sotashe said Maimane had been interfering in the affairs of the city and the province. “Why are people shocked at Mmusi’s announcement? We knew it all along. This man is nothing but a puppet. Madikizela, it’s your turn now to taste betrayal from close friends.”
THE DA yesterday warned that South Africa needed to beware of falling into a “Chinese debt trap”, and it would put questions in Parliament to the Presidency and to Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene to provide full details of the terms and conditions attached to the “gift” of R370 billion that President Cyril Ramaphosa had apparently negotiated with the Chinese.
Recent media reports indicated that the Chinese government had promised this multibillion-rand “gift” to South Africa as some sort of stimulus package, DA spokesperson Alf Lees said.