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Maimane looks to be a shoo-in as leader of the opposition DA

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All indications are that Mmusi Maimane will be overwhelmingly elected the new leader of the DA next Sunday.

Although there is still a week of intense lobbying ahead for the 34-year-old parliamentary leader and Dr Wilmot James (61), a quick survey among 150 of the 1 426 delegates throughout the country by City Press’ sister publication, Rapport, failed to yield a single one willing to go on record as saying he planned to vote for James.

Conversely, 125 (83%) indicated Maimane could rely on their support.

The other 25 said they were not sure yet or wanted to keep their decision private.

David Maynier, James’ campaign manager, said yesterday the survey was not reliable.

“It usually uses a small sample of delegates and cannot be used to predict the results.”

A senior leader in the DA, who asked not to be named, warned on Friday a week was a long time in politics. “Do not forget the ‘lie vote’. It can sometimes account for 30%.”

Most delegates who were asked about the reasons for their choice said they believed Maimane was the right man for the job, largely because the party needed a black leader to attract black voters.

Florence Wagenaar, a DA councillor of the Eastern Cape, said: “If I tell you plainly, [Maimane] doesn’t stand back from any problem and, since he is a black man, we could get some more votes. Our people here see the DA as a white party and the DA is not a white party.”

Maimane’s youth, energy and charisma were also mentioned.

The new leader will be elected at the party’s federal congress in Port Elizabeth next weekend after Helen Zille announced she would no longer be available.

Two other candidates, Adrian Naidoo and Morgan Oliphant, are widely regarded as a joke.

Maimane and James addressed delegates in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg in the past week.

Maimane was repeatedly applauded by delegates in Sandton, Gauteng, his home province, on Thursday evening. Before and after his speech in the Western Cape two weeks ago, he was also well received. The two provinces will send more than half (56%) of the delegates to the congress.

The Maimane camp never refers to policy in their explanations of their support. Instead, there is a certain pragmatism about the supposed requirements for growth among black voters.

Councillor Shadrack Mkhonto, DA spokesperson for Alexandra, Johannesburg, said the DA needed Maimane in the 2016 elections. “We’ve never had a black leader.”

Jop Smit, DA councillor in Fauresmith in the Free State, said: “I met [Mmusi] two years ago and even then I knew. Here’s the man. Tactically, he is the right man. I have great respect for James. But Mmusi has more energy. And the acceptability factor for him is crucial, especially among the youth.”

Another senior delegate said, after Thursday’s meeting: “Within the party, people have great respect for James, but he does not evoke the same enthusiasm as Maimane. He has a valuable role in the party thanks to his intellect and academic background, but not in the leadership role.”

Floris Byleveld, a councillor from Kathu in the Northern Cape, said people “go for” Maimane, “the chap who tackles [President Jacob] Zuma.

John Moodey, Gauteng DA leader, said that despite the 144 Gauteng delegates’ support, he would not make his choice known, partly because he had to help unite the DA in the province afterwards.

James Masango, DA leader in Mpumalanga, also said his vote was his secret.

Zwakele Mncwango, new DA leader in KwaZulu-Natal, had not decided yet.

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