Johannesburg - Political analysts say the make-up of the provincial leadership of the DA has effectively left the Joburg region in the lurch.
This comes after the re-election of Solly Msimanga as the DA leader in Gauteng at the party’s provincial congress held at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg this past Saturday.
Msimanga, who was the incumbent provincial leader of the party, went up against Khume Ramulifho, also a member of the provincial legislature.
Professor Dirk Kotze, a political analyst, said although Msimanga left his position within the Tshwane metropolitan council in 2020 under a “dark cloud” due to sexual accusations levelled against him, he had managed to re-enter the fray within the provincial leadership.
Kotze said his nomination as leader was important in that he (Msimanga) would most probably stand as the provincial candidate for the DA in the upcoming elections in 2024.
This, however, would depend on whether there would be some form of coalition formed.
He added that the nomination put Msimanga in a key position for the DA, as there was a real chance that the ANC would lose its majority in Gauteng, resulting in a need for a coalition.
Kotze added that what was evident about the elections was that the Tshwane region had come out quite prominently, as not only the leader but the provincial chairperson as well as the deputy came from Tshwane.
He said it remained to be seen how the party would fare across Gauteng given that the provincial leadership had essentially left Joburg in the lurch in terms of representation.
Despite concerns about representation, shortly after his appointment, Msimanga announced his confidence to take the leadership in the province and unseat Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
“I want to say thank you very much for giving us the mandate to take us to what is going to be a victorious election in 2024. We promise that this plane will land safely in 2024 in the legislature, when we will be able to say to Panyaza Lesufi, ‘Pack your bags and go’.”
In the same vein, Msimanga called for unity and vowed to the over 1000 delegates who attended the conference to join him in stabilising, revitalising and delivering service to all in Gauteng.
Most importantly, he highlighted the need for partnerships within the various party structures, the civil service, civil society and most importantly, potential coalition partners and the national government.
One plan he insisted on pushing for even before the 2024 elections is the implementation of a ‘workable blueprint’ for the government to undo the ANC’s legacy in the province.
The blueprint, according to Msimanga, would incorporate key steps to be taken to immediately stabilise and revitalise the administration.
“We have people who need to be registered democrats, and those who are registered but are not voting need to be engaged. All of them need to hear the message from the DA, and all of them need to ensure that they are registered and re-registered and turn out on election day; that is what the people of Gauteng are demanding of us,” he said during his acceptance speech.
The Star