2019 Democratic Alliance Federal Council chairpersonship election explained
Election Name: | 2019 Democratic Alliance Federal Council chairpersonship election |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Year: | 2018 |
Election Date: | 20 October 2019[1] |
Next Year: | Next |
Image1: | Helen Zille DA Rally 2011.jpg |
Image1 Size: | x150px |
Candidate1: | Helen Zille |
Popular Vote1: | Elected |
Image2 Size: | x150px |
Candidate2: | Athol Trollip |
Popular Vote2: | Not elected |
Image4: | Thomas Walters DA Politician.jpg |
Image4 Size: | x150px |
Candidate4: | Thomas Walters |
Popular Vote4: | Not elected |
Image5: | Mike Waters DA MP.jpg |
Image5 Size: | x150px |
Candidate5: | Mike Waters |
Popular Vote5: | Not elected |
Chairperson |
Before Election: | James Selfe |
After Election: | Helen Zille |
The 2019 Democratic Alliance Federal Council chairpersonship election was held on 20 October 2019 to elect the new Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance (DA), after incumbent James Selfe had announced his retirement in June 2019.[2]
The members of the party's Federal Council elected the new chairperson.[3] Helen Zille was elected to the position.[4]
Background
In June 2019, James Selfe announced his retirement from the post of Chairperson of the Federal Council of the DA. He served in the post for almost two decades under the leadership of Tony Leon, Helen Zille and Mmusi Maimane. The leadership position is similar to that of the role of Secretary-General of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).[5] [6] [7]
In recent months, the DA had been plagued by infighting and disorder. The party unsuccessfully tried to grow its vote share in the May 2019 national elections, only to be met with its first electoral decline in its history. This consequently caused leadership uncertainty within the party.[8] [9]
Candidates
The candidate nomination process closed on 4 October 2019 at around 17:00. Four candidates declared their intention to contest the election and were as follow:
Results
On 20 October 2019, DA Spokesperson Solly Malatsi tweeted that Helen Zille had been elected to the post. The party soon confirmed her election.[13]
Notes and References
- News: Davis . Gaye . No dirty campaigning, DA federal council chair candidates warned . 9 October 2019 . EWN . 8 October 2019 . Cape Town . Van der Walt said that the voters roll contained the names of around 150 or so delegates who would be voting on 20 October..
- News: Van der Walt . Desiree . DA Federal Council Chairperson nominations closed . 5 October 2019 . The Democratic Alliance . 4 October 2019.
- News: Sicetsha . Andile . DA Federal Council meeting: A preview of this weekend's political showdown . 19 October 2019 . The South African . 18 October 2019.
- News: Helen Zille elected DA Federal chairperson . 20 October 2019 . eNCA . 20 October 2019.
- News: Dlamini . Penwell . DA federal executive chair James Selfe to step down . 5 October 2019 . TimesLIVE . 9 June 2019.
- News: James Selfe to step down as DA FedEx chair after 19 years at the helm . 5 October 2019 . IOL . 9 June 2019.
- News: Dlulane . Bonga . James Selfe to step down as DA federal executive chair in . 5 October 2019 . EWN . 9 June 2019.
- News: Merten . Marianne . DA infighting: Maimane contradicts party chair's comments on limp election performance . 5 October 2019 . The Daily Maverick . 15 May 2019.
- News: DA is 'leaderless': IRR . 5 October 2019 . eNCA . 2 October 2019.
- News: Chabalala . Jeanette . Here's what the four DA candidates vying for James Selfe's position have to offer . 5 October 2019 . News24 . 5 October 2019 . 5 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191005213252/https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/what-the-four-da-candidates-vying-for-james-selfes-position-have-to-offer-20191005 . dead .
- News: Deklerk . Aphiwe . DA man who took Maimane to task wants top party post . 5 October 2019 . TimesLIVE . 4 October 2019.
- News: Kiewit . Lester . Zille announces intention to lead DA's federal council . 5 October 2019 . Mail & Guardian . 4 October 2019.
- News: Tandwa . Lizeka . Madia . Tshidi . BREAKING Helen Zille wins DA federal council chair vote . 20 October 2019 . News24 . 20 October 2019.