Democratic Alliance delegates are set to gather in Midrand, north of Johannesburg on 11 and 12 April to elect new leaders
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga put his hand up for the federal chair position held by Ivan Meyer
Senior Democratic Alliance officials are backing Western Cape agriculture MEC Ivan Meyer to replace the party leader as agriculture minister after its April federal congress
Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said much of the progress made ‘bears the unmistakable imprint of the DA’s principled participation’ in the government of national unity
The Gauteng leader said provincial officials had approached him to pursue the national position
The Democratic Alliance federal chair says she has been communicating with the party leader on WhatsApp
Agriculture department rejects calls of a ‘vaccine free-for-all’ and says there must be state-led control of vaccination process while farmers battle ongoing outbreaks
Siviwe Gwarube and Geordin Hill-Lewis are among those touted to take over party leadership
The DA leader insists he is “going nowhere” despite his announcement that he will not be contesting for the party’s leadership role
In a message seen by the M&G, he says that even if he does stand as leader, he intends to remain mayor
‘If I stood for re-election, I would have won hands down,’ DA leader says
Sources in the DA say the decision was partly influenced by Steenhuisen’s soured relationship with Helen Zille
Gwarube will vie for the position at the 2026 elective congress, aiming to succeed Helen Zille as federal council chair rather than pursuing the federal leader role
But Zille has rejected claims that she’s attempting to hurt Steenhuisen’s bid for third term
However, commercial farmers say that vaccine shortages and slow implementation are worsening a devastating crisis
Agricultural exports and rural employment highlight Steenhuisen’s tenure, alongside ongoing disease and regulatory pressures
Diplomacy, domestic strains and a test of political authority underlined this year’s presidency
Civil society and animal welfare groups have urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to reject the proposal to replace Dion George with Willem Aucamp
Officials said South Africa’s phytosanitary and biosecurity requirements are world class and the department is awaiting bilateral trade agreements to be resolved to begin exports of beef
Critics wondered whether the convention would follow through with local ward talks and implement recommendations
The DA claims it was proven right to boycott the dialogue after Deputy President Paul Mashatile instructed ministers to attend the convention virtually
Trade Minister Parks Tau said the US’s 30% tariff on exports has necessitated a balanced response between renegotiation, trade diversification and protection from an import surge
Several prominent foundations have withdrawn from the national dialogue citing poor planning and questionable spending
The Democratic Alliance won’t back the budgets for the departments of higher education, human settlements and police
The National Dialogue has not even begun and has already become irrevocably politically tainted
Democratic leader John Steenhuisen however said the party would withdraw from a national dialogue due later this year, calling it a waste of time and money and a distraction from the failures of the ANC
The scene in the Oval Office reflected the apartheid of the excessively wealthy, supported by Big Tech that peddles lies of white genocide, and the poor
Cyril Ramaposa showed the world that turning the other cheek does work, but Trump does not have the emotional intelligence to recognise this
But he secured tentative trade talks as negotiations with officials on a pact between South Africa and the US were set to continue
The presidency believes the US president knows his invective against South Africa is devoid of truth
The parties remain divided over an increase in VAT, which the DA says South Africans cannot afford
The stand-off between the two parties dates back to 19 February when DA leader John Steenhuisen made clear the party would not support a national budget that proposed a two percentage point increase in VAT