DA delegates reject suggestion for deputy federal leader position

Delegates breezed through more than 20 proposed amendments, but officials had to be called in to do a manual count when the split between the votes were unclear.  

Voting for the proposed amendments was done through a visual count after the presiding officers found the presence of broadcast media appeared to compromise the use of the online voting tool. 

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“We were worried that one delegate would not be able to use their voting device, and we then immediately changed to a system of red and green cards,” said congress presiding officer Greg Krumbock.  

Delegates in favour of the change to clause 6.1.4 of the ‘Federal Congress’ section of the DA’s constitution waved their green cards while chanting “we are ready for deputy.” 

In his motivation for the amendment, proposer Sakhile Mngadi said the establishment of the role will benefit plans to grow the party.  

“The DA is once again on a path of growth. With this, comes great challenges for senior office bearers due to demand etc. To ensure executive continuity, stability and effectiveness, the position of deputy leader provide the party with the opportunity to expand access to the executive and ensure that roles, access, availability and workload is shared evenly amongst recognisable personalities,” said the ward councillor from Ethekwini. 

The proposal was defeated by a narrow margin after a revote.  

This was also the only proposed amendment, out of the more than 80 that were considered, for which the constitutional review committee’s recommendation was recorded as “neutral”.  

At the same time, delegates voted in favour of empowering the party’s federal legal commission to make binding rulings in addressing disputes. The amendment was proposed by member of parliament Glynnis Breytenbach.  

“This amendment seeks to provide the FLC the power to make rulings that are not only recommendations, as is currently the case, but that are binding rulings,” Breytenbach said in her motivation.  

Voting for the amendments ended ahead of schedule. 

The last of congress is scheduled to begin with a closed session at 6am when voting for the new leadership opens. The announcement of the election results will be preceded by two sessions on policy resolutions, a speech by the incumbent federal leader and the congress awards ceremony.