Three more years — at least — for Helen Zille

DA federal council chair Helen Zille appears to be a shoo-in for a second three-year term in the post at the party’s national congress in Gauteng on April 1.

Asked if she had thrown her hat in the ring, Zille told the Sunday Times: “Yes, because I was nominated.” Nominations close tomorrow, and so far she is the only contender.

The DA veteran, who has served as mayor of Cape Town, premier of the Western Cape and national leader of the party, did not rule out staying on beyond a second term. “I’ll assess the situation in due course,” Zille said. 

She said she wanted to continue her “major overhaul” of DA systems and structures, a project she started when she was first elected to her position in 2019. 

“My current job is the equivalent of the ANC’s position of secretary-general. I am responsible for ensuring that all structures, systems and processes of the party are established and work, and that they are applied fairly and consistently to all,” Zille said.

I have worked with many others to fix the blue machine, which needed a major overhaul

—  Helen Zille

“I have worked with many others to fix the blue machine, which needed a major overhaul.”

She said running a political party was a complex and demanding job, “if you aim to have a branch in every ward in the country, recruit and process membership, and audit it to ensure its accuracy”.

The job included running internal elections and organising participation in public elections and by-elections.

It embraced policy development, party disciplinary systems and managing “a vast network of communication internally and externally”.

Her office supported 37 DA mayors and their governments, including highly complex coalitions, “and 1,000 other things”. 

“Hardly any big business has a challenge of structures, systems, and processes that a political party has,” Zille said.

“I’m not claiming I have done any of this on my own. The DA has outstanding staff and public representatives. But the point is that all these things come together in my office.  And those are now starting to work optimally again.”

Zille’s only mooted rival for the post, Gauteng party chair Mike Moriarty, said on Friday he would not run for any position at the congress.

All indications are that DA leader John Steenhuisen, who will face off against former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse, is likely to win re-election hands down. He has the support of eight DA provincial structures so far, and the ninth, KwaZulu-Natal, is expected to throw its weight behind him too at ts provincial congress next weekend.

The Sunday Times understands that he enjoys the overwhelming support of the DA’s more than 1,500 public representatives such as councillors, MPs and MPLs, who form the core of the 2,000 delegates who will attend the national congress. 

Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape’s agriculture MEC, is due to be retained as DA federal chair, but the posts of deputy federal chair and deputy federal council chair are likely to be contested.

The final list of nominated candidates is due to be announced on Wednesday.