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Democratic Alliance Eastern Cape leader, Nqaba Bhanga, has the task of defining a new mandate for the party in the province.
He was re-elected unopposed at the DA’s historic first virtual congress on Saturday as was provincial chairperson, Andrew Whitfield.
In his address, the party’s mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay said that the Congress marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape.
“Now, more than ever before (do) we need to put our shoulders to the wheel if we are to save this beautiful province and its people from the ANC incompetence and thievery. We can only do this if we stand together,” he said.
Bhanga said that their last Congress in East London, where he was elected as the provincial leader, was historic in that it elected a diverse team of individuals leading a diverse party.
“I am proud to say that the diversity of this team was our strength.”
The Provincial Leader said that the DA had refused to “succumb to the political expediency of popular public criticism”, remaining on point with its message and focusing on things that build rather than divide the party.
He also thanked the members who returned him to the provincial leadership position unopposed, saying this display of confidence in him would not be taken for granted.
“I fully intend to accelerate delivery of our core mandate of spreading and implementing freedom, fairness, opportunity and diversity,” Bhanga said.
He said going forward the focus would be on winning more municipalities in the 2021 local government election.
“We have identified Nelson Mandela Bay, Beyers Naude, Koukamma and Inxuba Yethemba as our next frontier. We want more DA mayors at the next Congress.”
The rest of the DA’s Eastern Cape leadership include Deputy Provincial Leaders, Chantel King and Bobby Stevenson, while the Deputy Provincial Chairpersons are Yusuf Cassim, Vicky Knoetze and Wonga Potwana.
