Johannesburg - The DA is one of the most diverse parties in the country, said DA federal chairperson Helen Zille.
Zille was speaking at the party’s elective congress in Joburg on Sunday, hours before that party was expected to announce its new federal leader.
The DA has been seen as struggling to capture the confidence of the black majority of South Africans. The exodus of black leaders from the party has also created a poor impression of the party in the eyes of the public.
But Zille said there were double standards in the media when it came to reporting on black leaders leaving the DA.
She said white South Africans were willing to vote for black people to become leaders in the DA just as they had voted for Mmusi Maimane, who has also left the DA.
“ActionSA over the last two weeks has lost more black leaders than we have lost in six years, and you sit here and you talk about the black exodus. There is a fundamental double standard in the media. In 2016, when Mmusi Maimane was our leader, well over 90% of white South Africans of all languages and all backgrounds voted for him as the leader,” Zille said.
She said in various parts of the country, young black leaders were emerging in various spheres of the party.
“I honestly believe all South Africans are prepared to vote for good governance. I don’t believe that one category of South Africans has to be padded on the basis of race,” she said.
The leadership contests for DA federal leader are one of the most controversial contests the DA has seen, with Mpho Phalatse challenging the current federal leader, John Steenhuisen, arguing that the DA needs a leader who will fix the trust deficit with the majority of South Africans.
On the other hand, Steenhuisen said there was nothing wrong with the DA and that the party was ready to govern.
Interestingly enough, Zille, who has been seen as close to both candidates, said both leaders had been given leadership roles and would be judged on their performance.
She refused to be drawn into discussing who she actually preferred to take over as federal leader.
“We have had experience with the leadership of both John Steenhuisen and Mpho Phalatse, and they are both in this race for a very good reason, and the 2000 delegates at this congress who have been delegated to come here and cast their ballots will take their choice,” she said.
The Star