The official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) will on Friday finalise the order in which the names of candidates will appear on the ballot-papers that will be used during the election process at the party’s congress in Gauteng in May. This will be done by means of a draw.
Three candidates are in the running for federal leader: Cape Town Mayor and former Western Cape education minister Helen Zille, Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip and federal chairperson Joe Seremane. The draw takes place in the party’s caucus room — the Helen Suzman Room — at Parliament at 4 pm.
Current DA leader Tony Leon is retiring but he will remain an MP until the next election in 2009.
Also up for election is the federal chairperson and only one nomination has been received: Seremane, the incumbent.
Six candidates are standing at this stage for the three posts of deputy federal chairperson. They are: MP from the Eastern Cape Donald Lee; candidate from KwaZulu-Natal John Steenhuisen; KwaZulu-Natal’s Mike Bond, KwaZulu-Natal national MP Sandy Kalyan; and the Western Cape’s Anton Bredell and MP and former mayor of George Marius Swart.
A candidate needs to be nominated and seconded by a party member.
According to DA spokesperson Martin Slabbert, nominations are open until 4pm on Friday when the draw will take place. The draw will be conducted by Brian van der Griyp, the party’s auditor.
The candidates — or their chosen representatives — have been invited to attend the draw.
Asked what would happen if Seremane was elected leader at the May 12 and 13 congress to be held at Midrand, Slabbert said that if there were no other nominations for federal chairperson, nominations could be taken from the congress floor. — I-Net Bridge