Former Johannesburg Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse says DA leader John Steenhuisen has failed to adequately grow the party.
Phalatse made the statement while being interviewed by SABC Political Editor Mzwandile Mbeje.
Phalatse, who will be contesting Steenhuisen for the party’s Federal leader position next month when the party goes to its National Congress, believes she has the formula to expand the party’s support.
She says that it is vital for the party to have a strong mandate from the electorate to enable it to test its policies as well as to ensure stability in government.
“I think when you make a decision like this and you assess someone’s leadership you look at the data and you look at the trajectory in which the party is going under their leadership and unfortunately, we haven’t seen the kind of growth. If you look at our brand and what we offer, we should be enjoying that kind of growth. So, there definitely is a disconnect there between our good product and what the electorate is seeing and unfortunately, we cannot govern without their mandate. We need to close that gap and currently I think we need to do more to close that gap.”
One-on-one with Dr. Mpho Phalatse:
Meanwhile, Phalatse says she is unfazed that eight of the party’s nine provinces have endorsed Steenhuisen to continue in the top job.
The DA on the 1st and 2nd of April will be holding its National Conference in Midrand Johannesburg to choose the party’s new leadership.
Up until today it was believed that the race for the party’s leader would be a two-horse race between Phalatse and incumbent Steenhuisen, however, it now appears that a third individual, Lungile Phenyane, has thrown a hat in the race.
Phalatse says the outcome of the election will be determined by the 2 000 delegates that will attend the conference.
“Outside of those nine provincial leaders, you have delegates who are independent voters in this process and have every right to decide who they want to take the party forward. Those provincial leaders’ endorsements do not represent the province, in fact it is against the guidelines of our campaigns, you cannot endorse a leader as a body or a structure. So you cannot say the provinces endorses Mpho or the province endorses John, so those are individuals and there are few individuals of the 2 000. Many that I have been interacting with, there are many who have approached me to say won’t you consider putting your hand up. So, I think what will really tell us what our voters want is what will happen on the 2nd of April.”
