Maimane keen to merge parliamentary, party roles

The charismatic parliamentary leader of the official opposition and candidate for party leader believes merging the two roles would benefit the party by creating a single platform to launch its message.

After days of speculation about whether he would make himself available for the DA national leadership position‚ Mmusi Maimane revealed on Saturday that he had accepted the nomination.

Outgoing leader Helen Zille shocked many by announcing last week she would not make herself available for re-election at the party’s elective conference next month in Port Elizabeth.

Speaking on the sidelines of the DA Western Cape elective conference on Saturday after addressing delegates‚ Maimane said he is “in it to win it” and would embark on a “strong campaign”.

He said merging the positions of parliamentary leader and national leader meant streamlining resources and locating communication more centrally.

“I think it will be helpful if we can merge the two jobs.

“People like to call it two centres of power because it speaks to another narrative. But I think we should never forget that under Helen’s leadership we created as many platforms for different leaders to perform. I certainly have had to work hard in parliament‚” he said.

“Now if we merge the job it means the party message can be communicated from one central platform. But if a contender had to come from another province and run successfully and chose not to be in parliament‚ then I think the model as it stands will still survive.”

The roles became separated when Zille opted to retain the party leadership role when she took over as premier in the Western Cape‚ a situation that some opposed on the grounds that it created two centres of power. It also meant the party leader did not engage in high-profile parliamentary debates with the president and other cabinet ministers.

Some suggest that with parliament increasingly becoming the centre of political debate in the country‚ having the party leader articulating party policy will be important.

Eastern Cape DA leader and newly elected Nelson Mandela Bay Metro mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said he supported Maimane.

“I believe he has the makings to be the next leader of the party.”

Trollip said in the last four years Maimane had had “important responsibilities” and had never let the party down. “He also personifies non-racism and the rainbow nation which has disappeared .”

Maimane‚ 34‚ has always been the favourite to take over from Zille. If he is elected‚ it will complete his spectacular rise through the ranks of the DA from mayoral candidate in Johannesburg in 2011‚ followed by a bid for the premiership of Gauteng. He was elected leader of the DA parliamentary caucus last year. — BDlive