The Democratic Alliance (DA) has a critical role to play in the future of this country – there can be no denying that the party has the organisational skills and a general commitment to clean and effective government which offer a counterpoint to the criminality and incompetence of the ruling ANC.
Yet, the official opposition is so beset with in-fighting and a seeming lack of direction that there is a very real danger that it will go backwards in the 2024 general election.
For a party which claims it is committed to non-racial democracy, the DA has made little real progress in convincing the majority of black voters that it can offer them a political home. This impression is born out by the ongoing loss of young, black leaders who should be its future.
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Another abiding popular belief about the DA – whether its leaders like it or not – is that it is dominated by a conservative, white clique who often appear to be in thrall to veteran politician Helen Zille.
She has become more publicly combative with time, often doing damage to the party’s image in the process… yet she has yet to be brought to heel.
So, it will be interesting to see what comes of the challenge for the leadership of the party being launched by former Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse. She has made no bones about wanting to oust current leader John Steenhuisen.
He, being seen as in the orbit of Zille and part of the alleged white clique controlling the party, is vulnerable, say some party insiders – although Phalatse, with her over-cocky manner might not be a shoe in either.
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While Steenhuisen has done a much better job that many of his critics give him credit for, perhaps the winds of change need to blow through the DA.
