After months of speculation over the next Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, it will all come down to just over two hours of voting by 1 145 delegates on Sunday morning.
The new leader is expected take to the stage to address the party’s federal congress in Midrand by 11am on Sunday.
In the running are current DA chairperson Joe Seremane, Eastern Cape party leader Athol Trollip and Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille.
All three were in Johannesburg on Friday for last-minute lobbying. They are to attend a gala dinner in the evening honouring outgoing leader Tony Leon.
Speculation over who will take the top spot at the official opposition began even before Leon announced his intention to step down in November last year.
Zille’s name was mentioned early in the race, but she was the last of the contenders to announce her candidacy in March.
She said her biggest challenge will be to keep the party’s traditional support base while gaining new voters.
But she will face the challenge or being both the party’s leader sitting in Parliament while at the same time being the mayor of Cape Town, something she plans to do.
Zille is widely considered to be the frontrunner.
When announcing his candidacy in February, Seremane said there is a ”great role” he could play in helping to transcend what he calls barriers to democracy in South Africa.
Asked if he thought the DA is ready for a black leader, he said: ”Yes, I think that is not really an issue, but there is a readiness for any kind of good contribution that can be made, irrespective of your pigmentation.”
He recently dismissed rumours that he had been asked to withdraw because of his age and fears that he might be humiliated in the vote.
This is something the predominately white DA does not want to see happen to its most senior black leader.
Seremane was also nominated to again take up the post as federal chairperson.
Trollip was the first to announce his candidacy in beginning of the year and is seen as Zille’s strongest competition.
He recently admitted as much, saying the race is to close to call. Trollip suggested the vote might even go into a second round.
If chosen, Trollip said he will target disillusioned African National Congress (ANC) voters to help grow the DA.
Leon retires on Saturday after eight years as leader of the DA and 13 as an MP.
His last address as party leader will be broadcast live on SABC 2 at 11am.
Other agenda items for the weekend’s congress relate to minor adjustments to the party’s constitution, including the possibility of creating a post for a deputy party leader.
Many of the thirty congress resolutions to be discussed and voted on this weekend entail tough criticism of the ruling ANC and its policies.
These include a possible call on government to acknowledge that affirmative action in its current form is doing more harm than good.
Also on the agenda are questions about the police management structure and the country’s power supply. — Sapa