DA: Candidates for federal chair must not campaign in public
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says the candidates for chair of the party’s federal council candidates have been told not to campaign in public as it is an internal election.
This after a debate scheduled for eNCA on Wednesday night between the four candidates for the role of federal chairperson was cancelled.
The DA debate has been cancelled. pic.twitter.com/gGlTtN7oZe
— Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) October 16, 2019
The DA’s presiding officer for the federal council elections Desiree van der Walt gave clarity on the procedures at the party’s headquarters in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The election is scheduled to take place this weekend at the party’s ordinary federal council.
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Van Der Walt says Helen Zille, Thomas Walters, Athol Trollip and Mike Waters are not campaigning for public votes.
"We do not want people to go out to canvas voters and the public. We want people to rub a campaign with the authorised delegates.
"Now we have seen all four of the candidates run the campaign through the media but this is unlike a congress where we elect party leaders.
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The federal council comes amid pressure on leader Mmusi Maimane from some sections of the party, who want him to vacate office following the DA’s poor performance during this year’s general elections.
The party’s organisational review panel is expected to table a report on Saturday on how the DA lost some voter support and to recommend the direction the party should take in future.