DA federal council chairperson says her party’s elective congress will be free from bribery, extortion, and fraud.
Zille was speaking on the first day of the party’s elective conference at Gallagher Estate in the north of Johannesburg.
Doing things differently
Zille said the DA does “things differently.”
“This congress is the proof that blue people do things differently. We contest leadership openly and fairly. No one is going to be bought. No money is going to exchange hands for votes, not even a box of chocolates.
“So, we contest openly and fairly, we elect leaders peacefully without bribery, without coercion, without threats, we debate policy in good faith,” she said.
Factionalism
Zille also warned delegates about the dangers of factionalism.
“And if you do not win an argument or an election in the DA, you are not punished; you are respected for putting yourself out there as long as you do so with integrity. When you fail in the DA to get what you aim for, you come back stronger by working harder, not by making excuses, not by playing the race card or retreating to victimhood and factions, that is not the DA way because our culture lies in our values.
“We are bound together by something greater than ourselves, a relentless commitment to make South Africa succeed,” she said.
Message
Zille will not be contesting for her current position at this year’s elective congress. She said she has confidence in the next generation of leaders who will lead the DA into the local government elections and eventually to the 2029 general elections.
She had this message for them: “Go forth, fight the good fight, go out and multiply support for the DA because that will make our country a wonderful, successful, great country, we know it can be,” she said.
Warning
Meanwhile, Zille also warned about the dangers of race-based politics or identity politics in the South African landscape.
“Blue people distinguish themselves by their shared values, and no matter what we look like in this hall today, we share the same core blue values, we believe in a nation defined not by race but by principles, the rule of law, constitutional democracy, individual freedom, human rights and a market-based economy that creates opportunity for all,” Zille said.
New leader
Meanwhile, the DA will also choose its new leaders on Sunday. The position of federal leader of the party is being contested by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Sedibeng District Municipality councillor Sibusiso Dyonase.
More than 2 000 delegates will gather in Midrand’s Gallagher Estate for this congress. The party described this as their largest congress in history.
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