DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga in pole position for reelection
The DA’s upcoming provincial congress is crucial as it will determine the leadership to go toe-to-toe with the ANC in Gauteng
The contest for control of the DA in Gauteng and possibly SA's economic hub looks likely to be a one-horse race, with no formidable challenger to incumbent Solly Msimanga, who is seeking reelection as provincial boss.
The DA Gauteng provincial congress will be held after SA’s second largest political party concludes its national elective congress in Johannesburg in April.
Msimanga, the former Tshwane mayor, lost the race to become Gauteng’s first citizen to erstwhile premier David Makhura in 2019. In October 2022, Msimanga again lost the premiership race to ANC provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi who received 38 votes in the provincial legislature against Msimanga’s 22.
The election of the new premier was necessitated by Makhura’s resignation from the provincial legislature to make way for Lesufi — who was elected ANC provincial chair in June 2022 — to take over ahead of the provincial and national elections in 2024.
The DA’s upcoming provincial congress is crucial as it will determine the leadership to go toe-to-toe with the ANC in the province ahead of 2024.
The ANC is on shaky ground in Gauteng, where it lost control of the crucial metros of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane to DA-led coalitions during the 2021 municipal election after its national electoral support fell below the 50% mark for the first time since 1994.
The ANC’s electoral support has been declining in the province over the years, to 36.06% during the 2021 municipal elections from 45.84% and 59.66% during the 2016 and 2011 municipal elections respectively.
Surveys by research house Ipsos and those conducted internally by the ANC suggest the governing ANC’s electoral support could dip below 50% in 2024 and possibly throw the door wide open for a takeover of the province by a multiparty coalition.
As the country’s economic hub, Gauteng is the most industrialised province in the ANC and contributes about 40% to GDP.
Msimanga said his campaign was not up and running as yet. He said a provincial congress would be held after the party’s national conference in April. “That’s the resolution taken by the provincial executive committee,” said Msimanga, who was elected DA provincial leader in November 2020 after having acted in the position following the resignation of John Moodey from the party.
“We will start campaigning when an election date [for the provincial congress] has been announced. But that will be much later than April … the process of selecting a premier candidate will happen before we go to [our provincial] congress … in the next couple of months [because we] want to run proper provincial campaigns,” Msimanga said.
DA Joburg councillor and former development planning member of the mayoral committee (MMC) Belinda Echeozonjoku, who Business Day understands was among those interested in challenging Msimanga for the position, said: “I haven’t thought of looking into standing at all. We have just lost Joburg, we should be looking at service delivery. It’s the first time I’m hearing that [I’m interested in the job of DA provincial leader].”
Al Jama-ah councillor Thapelo Amad was sworn in as Joburg’s executive mayor on Monday following Friday’s removal of the DA’s Mpho Phalatse through a motion of no confidence. Phalatse announced on Monday she was challenging DA federal leader John Steenhuisen for control of the party.
“The fact that Mpho Phalatse has made her intentions known doesn’t mean there are other leaders interested [in internal party positions]. Joburg is collapsing, that’s what we should be concentrating on,” Echeozonjoku said.
“The DA is an organisation where everyone has an opportunity to stand for any position. If [Phalatse] feels ready, then it’s her prerogative to stand. I just feel that John Steenhuisen is the right candidate for the job at this point in time, in my view.”
Business Day understands that former DA Tshwane council speaker Katlego Mathebe, who now serves as environment and agriculture management MMC, was said to be interested in challenging Msimanga for the position.
However, she said when contacted for comment: "I do not have intentions to run for the position of DA Gauteng leader."