Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 08-10-2019
A political analyst and North West professor says the disarray in the Democratic Alliance (DA) is no different from what is happening in the African National Congress (ANC).
This comes after it emerged that provincial leaders came out in support of embattled leader Mmusi Maimane on the heel of claims by several of the party’s leaders, that a right-wing element had orchestrated a smear campaign against him.
The party has cleared Maimane of wrongdoing after allegations surfaced that he received a Toyota Fortuner from Steinhoff and free accommodation in Cape Town from a businessman.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Theo Venter says like the ANC, the DA is undergoing a very similar gestation of who is in control of party.
“Who is in control? Who is going to pay the price for what happened in the May election? Is the Maimane leadership up to and competitive with the Ramaphosa leadership and who actually controls the ideological nucleus of the DA? That I think is the big debate, what is the DA standing for?
Venter affirms that the DA needed a black leader to progress the party, a project that was led by former leader Helen Zille.
“She lobbied very, very strong and hard to get him into the leadership position. He performed extremely well while we had a poor president, virtually illiterate, in deep trouble, President Jacob Zuma. But when the gears changed in the ANC, I don’t think Maimane was (ready) for that gear change within the DA.”
Venter says while the DA has cleared Maimane of wrongdoing, the party will have to deal with the leader’s tainted public image including discussing the future strategy of the party.
Listen to the interview with Theo Venter
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