Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday announced candidates to contest leadership positions at its elective federal congress taking place in 16 days.
DA presiding officers Greg Krumbock and Bridget Masango announced the candidates nominated to contest positions at the party’s elective federal congress on April 1 and 2.
Nominations closed on Monday after opening on February 6.
Krumbock and Masango said preparations for the elective congress were going ahead full steam.
According to the DA constitution, delegates would elect the leader, federal chairperson and three deputy federal chairpersons, while federal council members would vote for the council’s chairperson and three deputy chairpersons and the federal finance chairperson.
Krumbock and Masango announced Dion George and Lungile Phenyane as nominees for the federal finance chairperson.
The positions of deputy chairpersons of federal council will be contested by Annelie Lotriet, Ashor Sarupen, James Masango, Lungile Phenyane, Segope Sathekge, Thomas Walters and Tyrone Gray.
The incumbent Helen Zille will be contested by Lungile Phenyane for the federal council chairperson position.
Anton Bredell, Jean-Pierre (JP) Smith, Lungile Phenyane, Natasha Mazzone, Nqaba Bhanga, Refiloe Nt’sekhe, Shehana Kajee and Solly Malatsi will slug it out for the three deputy federal chairperson positions.
Ivan Meyer will be looking to fend off Lungile Phenyane and Qhawekazi Mbatha for the position of federal chairperson, while current DA federal leader John Steenhuisen will go against Lungile Phenyane and Mpho Phalatse.
“We are very pleased with the diversity of our candidates as well as the provincial representation and the age diversity. We can also confirm that the nominations process was thorough and democratic,” Krumbock and Masango’s statement said.
“The DA looks forward to a robust and successful federal congress as we demonstrate a clear commitment to internal democracy in our party.”
soyiso.maliti@inl.co.za