2020 Democratic Alliance Federal Congress

The Democratic Alliance (DA) held its leadership conference virtually between 31 October and 1 November 2020. It was originally scheduled to be held in May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.[2] The previous congress was held in 2018. In October 2019, then-party leader Mmusi Maimane announced that the party would seek to hold a policy conference and early elective congress in 2020. Maimane and former party chair Athol Trollip have since resigned from their positions and the DA. The party elected John Steenhuisen and Ivan Meyer as their interim successors, respectively.

2020 Democratic Alliance Federal Congress
31 October – 1 November 2020
Turnout88.6%[1]
 
Candidate John Steenhuisen Mbali Ntuli
Popular vote 1,443[1] 361[1]
Percentage 79.99%[1] 20.01%[1]
leader before election

John Steenhuisen (interim)

 Elected leader

John Steenhuisen

Background

Mmusi Maimane was re-elected as leader of the Democratic Alliance in 2018.[3] He led the party to see its first decline in its history at the May 2019 general election. This, as a result, caused factionalism and leadership uncertainty within the party.[4] Maimane established a panel consisting of former party leader Tony Leon, former party CEO Ryan Coetzee and Capitec founder Michiel le Roux to come up with an independent report detailing the faults and conflicts within the party. Federal Council chair James Selfe announced in June 2019 that he would retire in October of the same year, opening up a senior leadership position within the party.[5][6]

As Selfe's retirement neared, multiple candidates declared their candidacies. Former party leader Helen Zille announced on 4 October 2019 that she would run for the post. DA CEO Paul Boughey stepped down on 17 October.[7] The DA's Federal Council gathered on 19–20 October and elected Zille as the party's chair on 20 October 2019. She defeated Athol Trollip, Mike Waters and Thomas Walters.[8] At the gathering, Maimane proposed that the party should head to an early elective congress and policy conference in 2020.[9][10] At the same meeting, the panel's report was discussed. The report recommended that senior leadership should resign.[11][12] Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced his resignation the next day due to irreconcilable differences with party leadership following Zille's return.[13]

On 23 October, Mmusi Maimane resigned as party leader. Party chair Athol Trollip also stepped down.[14][15] Both positions were consequently vacant, and the party set 17 November as the date to elect interim leadership.[16]

In the run-up to 17 November, both vacant posts became contested. Newly-elected parliamentary leader John Steenhuisen, Western Cape DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela, and Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana, all declared their candidacies for interim leader. Deputy federal chair Ivan Meyer, DA Women's Network leader Nomafrench Mbombo, Gauteng MPL Khume Ramulifho, and Buffalo City councillor Dharmesh Dhaya announced that they would contest the election for interim chair.[17][18]

Madikizela soon withdrew his candidacy and Dhaya followed.[19][20] On 17 November, Steenhuisen was elected interim leader with Meyer as interim chair. They vied for full-terms at the party's congress.[21]

Postponement

The party's elective congress was set to be held in May 2020, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. The policy conference, that was supposed to be held in April 2020, was also postponed.[22] Steenhuisen temporarily suspended all campaign activities on 16 March.[23] Moodey and Ntuli soon followed.[24] In April 2020, the party announced it was considering holding a virtual policy conference.[25] It was agreed to by the party's leadership structures and held on 29 May 2020.[26]

In May 2020, some party officials proposed that the elective conference be held virtually in October 2020,[27] however, this was met with disapproval since critics argued that it would favourable to Steenhuisen's campaign.[28][29] The party's Federal Executive, highest decision-making body, approved the decision on 17 May 2020.[30] In July 2020, the Federal Council, second-highest body, endorsed the proposal and announced that it would be held between 31 October and 1 November 2020.[31][32]

Candidates for federal leader

Declared
PortraitNameOffices heldProvinceAnnouncement date
Mbali Ntuli
(born 1988)		Federal Youth Leader of the DA (2013–2014)
Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature (2019–present; 2014–2018)		 KwaZulu-Natal7 February 2020
John Steenhuisen
(born 1976)		Interim Federal Leader of the DA (2019–present)
Leader of the Opposition (2019–present)
Member of the National Assembly (2011–present)		 KwaZulu-Natal15 February 2020

Gauteng DA leader John Moodey was a candidate for federal leader, but he resigned from the party in September 2020.[33]

Declined

Results

On 1 November 2020, John Steenhuisen was announced as the new federal leader with Ivan Meyer as the federal chairperson.[36]

Refiloe Nt'sekhe, Anton Bredell and Jacques Smalle were announced as the first, second and third deputy federal chairpersons, respectively.[36] Annelie Lotriet was unsuccessful in her campaign.

Helen Zille was re-elected as chairperson of the Federal Council, defeating Gauteng DA provincial chairperson Michael Moriarty. Thomas Walters and James Masango were announced as two her deputies. They were elected unopposed.[36]

Dion George was re-elected unopposed as federal finance chairperson.[36]

References
  1. "With 79% of votes, Steenhuisen is elected DA leader". Mail & Guardian. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  2. "DA Federal Congress 2020: Nominations now officially open". www.da.org.za. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  3. Andersen, Nic (18 March 2018). "Mmusi Maimane to be re-elected DA leader unopposed". The South African. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  4. "What's next for the DA after its poor election results?". BusinessTECH. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  5. Dlamini, Penwell (9 June 2019). "DA federal executive chair James Selfe to step down". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  6. "James Selfe to step down as DA FedEx chair after 19 years at the helm". IOL. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  7. Kiewit, Lester (17 October 2019). "Paul Boughey, CEO of the DA has resigned". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  8. Harper, Paddy; Kiewit, Lester (20 October 2019). ""Comeback Gogo" Zille makes a return". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  9. "Maimane proposes early elective and policy conference". SABC News. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  10. Madia, Tshidi; Tandwa, Lizeka (19 October 2019). "Maimane proposes first DA 'policy conference' and early elective congress". News24. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  11. Mahlangu, Isaac; Madisa, Kgothatso (22 October 2019). "Mmusi Maimane 'inconsistent and conflict averse', DA report finds". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  12. Kiewit, Lester (17 October 2019). "DA election review recommends Maimane step down". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  13. Nicolson, Greg (21 October 2019). "Mashaba resigns: 'I cannot reconcile myself with a group who believe that race is irrelevant'". The Daily Maverick. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  14. Mahlati, Zintle (23 October 2019). "WATCH: Mmusi Maimane resigns as DA leader". IOL. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  15. Quintal, Genevieve; Pakathi, Bekezela (24 October 2019). "Mmusi Maimane resigns from the DA and parliament". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  16. Gerber, Jan (25 October 2019). "DA to elect interim leader and chair on November 17". News24. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  17. Mailovich, Claudi (31 October 2019). "DA leadership race to replace Mmusi Maimane is in full swing". BusinessDay. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  18. Gerber, Jan (3 November 2019). "Here are the people contesting the DA's interim leadership". News24. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  19. Mahlati, Zintle (11 November 2019). "DA's Bonginkosi Madikizela withdraws nomination from party's leadership race". IOL. Johannesburg. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  20. Ndamase, Mkhululi (14 November 2019). "Dhaya withdraws candidacy for the interim DA federal chair". DispatchLIVE. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  21. Deklerk, Aphiwe (17 November 2019). "John Steenhuisen elected DA interim leader". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  22. Mavuso, Sihle (16 March 2020). "ANC, DA postpone conferences amid coronavirus fears". IOL. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  23. Meyer, Dan (16 March 2020). "Steenhuisen puts DA leadership charge on hold amid coronavirus fears". The South African. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  24. Madia, Tshidi (17 March 2020). "Ntuli and Moodey suspend campaigns for DA leader amid coronavirus outbreak". News24. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  25. Mailovich, Claudi (29 April 2020). "DA considers virtual policy conference amid lockdown uncertainty". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  26. Zille, Helen (29 May 2020). "DA holds successful virtual policy conference on Local Government". da.org.za. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  27. Cele, Sthemdile (10 May 2020). "DA to become the first party in SA to hold congress online". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  28. Gerber, Jan; Madia, Tshidi; Tandwa, Lizeka (17 May 2020). "DA's proposed virtual elective conference in October believed to favour Steenhuisen". News24. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  29. Dlamini, Palesa; Nyathi, Mandisa (24 May 2020). "DA virtual election met with discontent". City Press. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  30. Manyathela, Clement (17 May 2020). "DA fedex resolves to hold online elective congress in October". EWN. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  31. Gerber, Jan (26 July 2020). "DA will hold virtual congress at end of October". News24. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  32. Quintal, Genevieve (26 July 2020). "DA agrees to hold virtual elective congress". BusinessDay. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  33. Deklerk, Aphiwe (2 September 2020). "John Moodey singles out Helen Zille as he outlines reasons for quitting the DA". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  34. Charles, Marvin (26 January 2020). "Bonginkosi Madikizela says he will be running for DA leader role". IOL. Cape Town. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  35. "DA's Bonginkosi Madikizela drops out of leadership race". eNCA. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  36. Nkosi, Nomazima (1 November 2020). "Steenhuisen elected new DA leader". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
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