Newly elected Democratic Alliance (DA) federal council chairperson Helen Zille said that the country only had 40,000 farmers left to feed 57 million citizens, meaning that food security was under threat.
Mbali Ntuli said that her focus was now on campaigning for the party to boost its voter base ahead of next year's local government elections.
In his acceptance speech delivered on Sunday afternoon after he won the race to lead the country’s main opposition, John Steenhuisen that said he wanted to take both the DA and South Africa to greater heights and empower every citizen.
The highest position up for grabs is that of federal leader which is being contested by Steenhuisen and former youth leader Mbali Ntuli.
The party will for the first time elect new leaders through an IT-based voting system and presiding officers said that they were confident that the election would be free and fair.
This is despite many analysts familiar with the party saying her chances of winning are slim.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Steenhuisen admitted that politics were in its nature unpredictable, but despite this, he was certain he has ticked all the boxes to garner favour from the majority of the voting delegates.
Douglas Gibson said that Helen Zille was well organised and intelligent but she needed to keep quiet about matters outside of the portfolio she may occupy going forward.
The party’s former parliamentary chief whip, Douglas Gibson, told Eyewitness News that Ntuli has contested too early and that the DA must elect Steenhuisen, whom he views as matured and experienced.
In a historic move, the DA will hold a virtual conference this weekend to elect its new leadership – a year after Mmusi Maimane quit as both leader and member of the party.
Outgoing DA Gauteng chairperson Mike Moriarty said that the party had an opportunity to campaign on issues that affected broader society that could see it go beyond 26% at the polls.
The party will for the first time elect new leaders thought an IT-based voting system, as the congress will take place virtually.
The leadership polls, which were set for April, were pushed back due to the COVID-19 breakout in the country.
It’s been announced 992 of the DA’s 1,171 delegates have registered so far today.
The DA is keeping mum about the names of party members vying for the tensely contested leadership race in the Eastern Cape.
It is understood that the nominations for key leadership positions have been made but the party will not release them as yet.
SABC had agreed to a two-hour live broadcast of the congress, but allegedly reneged on the agreement.
DA MP Masizole Mnqasela says party leaders should not attempt to influence one another’s votes.
