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Under normal circumstances, the DA’s federal council would meet once in every three years to discuss policy and other matters, but DA leader Mmusi Maimane has called for the first policy conference since the inception of the DA to broaden the discussions surrounding the black empowerment policy stances.
In his letter to federal council members, Maimane said the weekend’s meeting would discuss changes required to position the party for future growth and the scheduling of a policy conference could be the missing link towards broadening the discussions surrounding contentious black empowerment policy stances.
The DA’s federal council has been described as a watershed moment even by party members. Whatever happens this weekend, is set to determine the party’s direction and hopefully provide clarity on its policies.
DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi reiterated Maimane’s call for the policy conference and confirmed that Maimane requested an early conference despite the possibilities of the conference being swayed towards removing him as a leader.
Malatsi said this at a media briefing update, on Saturday, at the party’s headquarters in Johannesburg.
The gathering was expected to discuss a report of the organisational review panel, which was commissioned to look into the party’s dismal performance in this year’s elections. It’s understood the report recommends, among other things, that Maimane and now former DA CEO Paul Boughey should step down.
The latter this week tended in his resignation in accordance with the recommendations, however, Maimane remains adamant that he is still the right person for the job. Malatsi said that the outcomes of this weekend’s meeting would help unsettle the questions that have been brewing in the media.
“This weekend will help unsettle all the curiosity on everyone’s mind about what is happening in the DA,” said Malatsi
He said just as South Africa needed to implement reforms if it was to grow its economy and prosper, the DA also needed to change if it was to grow. He stressed that as challenging as this may be, the DA needed to win the trust of the majority of South Africans, adding that the party could not content itself with being the voice of minorities.
He said: “We must broaden our appeal to attract more black South Africans too.” Writing in his weekly Bokamoso newsletter, Maimane said the party could not only be “the voice of minorities”.
“Therefore, however challenging it may be, the DA needs to win the trust of the majority of South Africans. We cannot contend ourselves with being the voice of minorities; we must broaden our appeal to attract more black South Africans too.”
Malatsi said that Maimane called for party discipline in the meeting. When asked about the mood in the briefing, Malatsi described the mood as calm.
“The mood is quite civil, tranquil and robust, no chairs have flown yet,” said Malatsi.
This week, DA chief executive officer Boughey announced his resignation from the party on Thursday afternoon. The party said it “noted” his decision and wished him “all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for his service to the DA and commitment to the broader democratic project”.
When questions of whether the same fate was to happen to Maimane arose, Malatsi said the council would revert to the media.
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