The DA in in KwaZulu-Natal described the list of candidates it has put forward on its regional and provincial candidate lists for the May 29 national and provincial elections as “the most diverse field of candidates the DA in KZN has ever fielded”.
Those on the party’s regional list include Dean Macpherson (provincial chairperson), Sbongiseni Vilakazi, Tim Brauteseth and Billy Mzamo (deputy caucus leader, eThekwini Municipality).
The provincial list includes Chris Pappas, Francois Rodgers, Imraan Keeka and Mmabatho Tembe.
The party said that a number of MPs and MPLs have decided to retire from Parliament and the Legislature “to create space for the next generation of leaders”.
These include former provincial chairperson Haniff Hoosen, former provincial chairperson Greg Krumbock, former chairperson of finance Alf Lees, former MPL Sharon Hoosen and current MPL Heinz de Boer.
Provincial leader Francois Rodgers on Tuesday described the process of identifying the candidates as an exhaustive and thorough process that saw more than 100 people apply to be members of Parliament and members of the provincial legislature in the province.
“Never before have so many people wanted to join our rescue mission to save our province and this has been incredibly encouraging to witness. Even elected leaders in this province, myself included, and all members of the leadership team had to subject themselves to this process.”
Rodgers said the next step in the process involved candidates writing a number of tests which tested everything from understanding of party policy to general knowledge.
“In January, candidates were ranked by the selection panel and these results were reviewed by both the provincial executive committee as well as the Federal Executive.”
Rodgers said that the DA in KZN was encouraged that the process was accepted by all candidates.
“The candidates are fit for purpose and are diverse across a number of fields ... in fact, this is the most diverse field of candidates the DA in KZN has ever fielded. There will be no party in Parliament or the Legislature that will be as diverse as the DA,” Rodgers said.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube, speaking ahead of the recent launch of the party’s provincial manifesto, said that the threat of violence is very real to the people of the province.
“Over 300 people died during the July riots alone in violence that could have been prevented and that should have never happened.
“The victims of this violence have never received justice for their loss and now we have political parties weaponising that trauma ... we cannot stand for it. If the security cluster is not paying attention once again; they will be complicit should these threats be acted on,” Gwarube said.
She said the DA was making changes in the uMngeni Municipality and was hoping to do the same in the rest of the province.
“To make this a reality, we must do something different, something bold, something we have never done before and we must engage with every single citizen of KZN.”
The Mercury