Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor has been re-elected the party’s Federal Chairperson, beating off the challenge of Tshwane Mayor, Solly Msimanga and Free State leader, Annelie Lotriet.
Mmusi Maimane was elected unopposed as was Chairperson of the Federal Council, James Selfe.
Delivering the closing address, DA leader, Mmusi Maimaine, also said that Trollip, who face a motion of no confidence vote on Tuesday in Council, will remain mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
The DA leader paid tribute to party members for the hard work that they put into the Congress, which he described as one of the best.
He thanked DA members for giving him the opportunity to lead the party for another three years. “We’ve only just begun,” he said, adding that many resolutions were adopted, including one on diversity, which is an important value to hand over to future generations.
Maimane said that 2019 is going to be a significant election, the most important one we will have as a party.
“Next year we don’t have a choice, we have to be the government here in Gauteng,” said Maimane.
He said the next elections will be about the future of all South Africans. Maimane said that if one wants a future for all South Africans then people must fight for South Africans who are homeless, jobless and landless.
Maimaine sent a message to DA mayors to “dare never fail our people”, but should serve them with humility. The DA leader said “we have to rid ourselves” of corruption because it steals away the resources for the people.
“Our people know that we represent all of them and that our values will guide them to victory. But, our people must know our mission and you (DA members) must know our mission,” he said.
He said now that Congress is over the focus must be on the people out there, warning that anyone who is a “racist” will be rooted out of the DA. Maimane said the resolutions adopted at the Congress must be implemented.
In closing the Congress, Maimane called all his provincial leaders on stage, saying the DA stands united in its diversity. “We have a big job ahead of us next year. We will begin the task of going door-to-door,” he told provincial leaders.
Maimaine delivered a message of one, united Democratic Alliance.
Meanwhile, the DA adopted a constitutional amendment which will ensure that DA members elected to executive positions and who lack competence can be recalled.
The amendment states that the member will be given a chance to make representations and will have to resign within 48 hours. Failure to do so will lead to the cessation of their membership.
The resolution was tabled and adopted on Sunday at the DA's federal congress under way at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria.
This comes after the party became embroiled in a conflict with Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille and failed to remove her. De Lille's future as a DA member and mayor has been hanging in the balance following various allegations, including security upgrades at her residence, mismanagement, and corruption. She has already survived a motion of no confidence brought against her.
But the resolution is not expected to affect De Lille whose disciplinary process had already begun before the Congress. Before the amendment, the party’s federal council had no powers to compel a public representative to be removed from public office.
(Additional reporting ANA)
