DA says report about breakaway party is totally false

A spokesperson for the DA has called a report in City Press about several senior leaders in the opposition party forming a “true liberal party” false.

Spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe told eNCA on Sunday that there was no truth to it.

“I don’t see how anyone could even believe someone would start a party so close to an election. We’ve come out of a very successful congress in April.”

She said they were united to fight next year’s election.

“This is really fictitious.”

The paper reported that former DA leader Helen Zille had been approached to lead the new formation, but she could not be drawn to comment.

Some in the party have allegedly been concerned that the DA is losing its character as a liberal party due to its need to appeal to a broader base, particularly among black voters. City Press said it was aware of at least five prominent MPs who were involved in asking the Institute of Race Relations for advice on starting a new liberal party. The institute’s Frans Cronje confirmed three meetings had taken place.

He reportedly advised them they’d need a “big name” to join them if they hoped to succeed.

When asked about the alleged meetings with Cronje, Nt’sekhe did not deny that they had taken place, but that the DA in fact dealt with the institute regularly to consult on a number of issues.

She, however, characterised City Press’ portrayal of the DA’s interactions with Cronje as inaccurate and a misinterpretation.

“It had nothing to do with starting a new party, but rather the DA doing introspection as a liberal party.”

When it was put to her that there had possibly been other meetings with Cronje, not the ones she was referring to, Nt’sekhe said she could not speak about things she was not aware of.

“Why are they [City Press] not stating who the senior leaders are who are planning to start another party? Not one name has been mentioned in that article.”

She added, though, that they were not actually open to the possibility that people were planning to leave to start their own party, though she could not completely rule it out.

“If you don’t want to associate with the DA, you are welcome to leave.”

DA founder leader Tony Leon had told City Press it was only natural that the party would be experiencing an identity crisis after a growth spurt, while DA MP Phumzile van Damme was dismissive of the rumours.

She said they came about prior to every election season, but nothing ever materialised.

The party has been divided over its handling of Patricia de Lille’s disciplinary case as well as comments by leader Mmusi Maimane about race and transformation.

Maimane was taken to task earlier this month by his three most senior DA colleagues in parliament over his comments on white privilege made during a rally on Freedom Day last month.

The meeting had apparently been described by party insiders as an “orchestrated attack” on Maimane.

He has subsequently made further comments on race, including on the Ashwin Willemse SuperSport walkout saga.

The strife within the DA is threatening its ambitions of forcing a coalition government in next year’s elections, as analysts have said that President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to be making headway in getting the ANC’s traditional support base to come out and vote ANC again.