Ousted Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has officially announced her candidature for the position of party leader and will go up against incumbent John Steenhuisen.
Phalatse briefed the media at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto on Monday 30 January 2023. She said the Democratic Alliance (DA) needs a dynamic leader who is familiar with the concept of ‘servant leadership’.
Phalatse’s announcement comes a few days after her ousting as Johannesburg mayor through a motion of no confidence.
The DA will hold its provincial conference in April over two days at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.
Phalatse said her team chose the Hector Pieterson Memorial for the announcement because the DA is a party for all South Africans.
“I do recognise the perception out there that my party, the DA, is indifferent to the plight of black people. Yet, contrary to the narrative, mostly pushed and peddled by our political opponents, we are the party that recognises the injustices of the past and that honours those, like Hector, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we celebrate,” she said.
She added: “We are unwavering in our belief that South Africa would not be the constitutional democracy which is held in high regard as a shining beacon of hope within the global family of nations, if it were not for the selfless struggles of those who came before us.”
The former Joburg mayor said the country needs new leadership that can rekindle the flame of hope.
Phalatse said the DA remains the only party with viable alternatives to the current ANC’s policies.
“We, in the DA, however, need a relatable and dependable leadership that can win back the trust of the electorate and lead our party to a decisive victory in the upcoming 2024 general election, which is only a few months away.
“The victory will only be possible if the DA repositions itself as a party the majority of South Africans can relate to. I believe a re-calibrated DA under a different leadership- can serve as that political home for all South Africans.”
Source: News24, Daily Maverick, Jacaranda FM, The South African, image from Twitter: @TGqeberha