Publications
Partners
Former DA leader Helen Zille has made a stunning comeback as she emerged victorious in the race for the party’s new federal council chairperson.
The former premier and Institute of Race Relations (IRR) fellow beat federal chairperson Athol Trolip, former deputy chief whip Mike Waters and deputy chairperson Thomas Waters for the top job.
Zille succeeds James Selfe who held the position for almost two decades.
Zille’s victory comes after a tense two-day sitting of the party’s highest decision-making structure in between congresses – the federal council.
City Press understands that a redacted version of the review panel’s report on the state of the organisation will now be released to party structures.
Party leader Mmusi Maimane appeared to have been given second political life despite the recommendation by the report for him to step down. Delegates of federal council told City Press that Waters and MP Ghaleb Cachalia were amongst those who argued that Maimane take his leave as per the report but the view was defeated.
City Press last week reported that Maimane allegedly told his close allies that he would resign should Zille win the race as working with her would be untenable for him after their falling out.
The party is now set to host a policy congress ahead of an elective congress sometime next year.
When asked by City Press today if he will be seeking re-election, Maimane said the decision will only be made closer to the time.
Meanwhile Zille was at pains to emphasise that she would be “staying in her lane” and not interfering unless asked to.
She had told City Press in an interview on Friday that the position had almost 19 different functions and that she supported a view going into federal council that some of the powers in the position be delegated elsewhere.
At the press conference this afternoon, Maimane also reiterated that those who had been threatening to walk away from the party in order to form a “true liberal” breakaway should do so.
He said it was impossible to have two organisations in one.
 |
| ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
