Helen Zille warned hundreds of delegates at the CTICC that complacency was the greatest risk they faced in the Western Cape.
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DA leader Helen Zille warned hundreds of delegates at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, there to vote in their new provincial party leaders, that complacency was the greatest risk they faced in the Western Cape.
In an event that turned up few surprises, Ivan Meyer was voted provincial leader, Theuns Botha his deputy, and Anton Bredell provincial chairman - all as predicted. Zille said the party must never assume “we will keep on winning here”.
Zille was welcomed with thunderous applause yesterday as she entered the conference room to the tune of D’is Zille wat die wind laat waai. And, as usual, she wasn’t shy to show off her dance moves.
Meyer, Botha and Bredell stood unopposed. Others voted in included three new provincial deputy chairs,
DA federal council member Erik Marais, Social Development MEC Albert Fritz, and Richard Majola, speaker of the provincial parliament .
Political leader of the Helderberg constituency Andricus van der Westerhuizen is chairman of finance. There are four new additional members: mayoral committee member for community services Thandeka Gqada, Guy Harris, Okkie Terblanche and Grant Twigg, a city councillor.
Highlighting the party’s recent by-election successes in ANC wards, Zille told delegates that in politics you were most vulnerable after your greatest victory: ”When you think you are safe, you are at your weakest… Power brings great temptations and great risks. Let us be humble and remain true to our values, and always put the people first,” she said.
The DA in the Western Cape was stronger, more united, more diverse and more determined than ever before, while the ANC here – as in the rest of the country – was at war with itself.
Turning to strike violence, Zille again blamed the ANC youth league’s “ungovernability campaign”, saying it was a symptom of the league’s strategy to oust the ANC’s provincial leadership.
“There are many examples in history of parties that forgot about the people because they were involved in an internal battle for power. We must never forget that it once nearly happened to us,” she warned.
The DA ultimately aimed to win more provincial governments, and eventually govern SA. But the ANC would not “sit back and let it happen”.
In his acceptance speech, Meyer said he understood his responsibility was to help win 30 percent of the national vote in 2014, increase the DA’s electoral base from 50 to 60 percent, and support the campaign to win either Gauteng or the Northern Cape.
“Judging from the results of the recent by-elections, one thing is clear: the voter base is shifting towards a party which is not corrupt, protects the rights of individuals, and to a party that is truly non-racial,” he said. - Sunday Argus
