'There's the door!', says embattled Maimane to divisive members

Embattled DA leader Mmusi Maimane has thrown down the gauntlet to his critics ahead of a crunch vote today that could see former leader Helen Zille making a dramatic return to politics if she wins the election.

In a hard-hitting fightback speech ahead of a vote that could decide his future, Maimane told the party's powerful federal council he was "sick and tired" of people who were working to divide the DA.

He dared them to leave and form their own "pure liberal party" if they disagreed with his vision.

Maimane delivered the opening address at the party's headquarters in Bruma, Johannesburg, yesterday to set the tone of the gathering before it considered a report that recommends that he step down.

Maimane is up against the ropes as the outcome of the contest for the influential position of federal council chair could either strengthen his position in the party or torpedo his leadership.

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Should Zille win today's vote, Maimane's grip on the party will be significantly loosened, and he might not retain his position when the party goes to conference.

However, should former Nelson Mandela Bay metro mayor Athol Trollip emerge victorious, Maimane's hand could be strengthened.

Trollip has the support of the majority of provincial leaders, but Zille is believed to be the favourite among delegates.

A Zille win would mean that the former premier of the Western Cape would be in charge of the day-to-day running of the DA.

At the heart of the battle is what shape the philosophical outlook of the DA should take, with those supporting Zille in favour of a liberal approach based not on race but on individual rights and competence.

We never discussed how to form a new party or anything

—  Helen Zille

Maimane, on the other hand, wants DA policies to prioritise race-based socioeconomic redress, which has been seen by his detractors as a dilution of DA liberalism.

With Zille and Maimane's relationship at its lowest ebb, Maimane would find it difficult to stamp his authority. A weakened Maimane would present an opportunity for his detractors to find a replacement.

Some have already identified Western Cape premier Alan Winde as a possible candidate, though Winde has distanced himself from their campaign.

In the run-up to the May 8 election and after it, there was a persistent rumour that a group of mostly white senior figures in the party wanted the DA to split because they felt the official opposition had lost direction under Maimane.

Zille has been linked with the group said to be considering forming a splinter party.

On Friday, Zille confirmed that there were meetings at her former official residence of Leeuwenhof in Cape Town before the general elections where some lobbied her to form a new party, but she refused.

"There was a big discussion around the DA, and around its future. We never discussed how to form a new party or anything. One of the people at the discussion suggested we should think of starting a new party. No-one else agreed with that so we've never done that...We all concluded that we wanted to work with the party and make it work," said Zille.

Maimane's speech sought to give his supporters the line of march, and warn his opponents to behave, rather than unite the factions. He appeared to be in battle mode, gearing up to take on his rivals head-on.

Those who were at the meeting yesterday said Maimane spoke of "ill-disciplined" members, without mentioning names, apparently telling those planning to split from the DA: "There's the door."

Maimane declined to comment when approached by the Sunday Times.

DA insiders who attended the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was confidential said a fuming Maimane delivered the strongest rebuke of his internal detractors since he became party leader.

He is said to have told the meeting that ill-discipline was on the rise in the DA, with some senior figures believing they were bigger than the party.

The insiders said a bullish Maimane also told the meeting that the DA can no longer be happy with just being a party that represents the interests of minorities, and has to work hard to attract more black people.

This comes as there is a fierce battle for the soul of the DA following its dismal performance in this year's general election, in which the party failed to grow its electoral support for the first time since its formation.

Maimane's detractors in the party blame him for the poor showing, arguing that the DA has lost its "core liberal" values under his leadership and become an "ANC lite".

Maimane, who recently faced allegations of impropriety over his rented house in Cape Town and the use of a car donated by disgraced former Steinhoff chief Markus Jooste, is also said to have told the gathering that internal fighting has never been this vindictive in the DA.

"He told them he was tired of people who no longer gave a hoot about the DA and would rather be somewhere else. He said the door was open to those interested in setting up parallel structures," said a source.

Maimane's fiery speech seems to have been directed at a group led by maverick MP Ghaleb Cachalia, who established what is known as the 1959 Committee. Maimane's backers and chief whip John Steenhuisen label the group a parallel caucus structure.

Turning to the findings of the review panel, which included former DA strategist Ryan Coetzee, former leader Tony Leon and Capitec bank founder Michiel le Roux, Maimane came out in favour of the proposed early federal congress to elect new leaders. Sources said Maimane also agreed with the proposed scrapping of the position of CEO in favour of a full-time chief strategist ahead of the 2021 local elections.

The panel criticised the DA for entering into coalitions with the EFF to govern metros, but apparently Maimane defended the decision, telling the meeting that this saved citizens from ANC corruption and allowed the DA to turn around the financial management of those municipalities.