Coronavirus: Ntuli, Moodey suspend campaigns for DA leader

Gauteng DA leader John Moodey and member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature Mbali Ntuli have suspended their campaigns for federal leader of the party.

Their decision followed an announcement by the party’s federal council chairperson Helen Zille that the much-anticipated policy and elective conferences would be on ice after government put measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The policy conference was set to take place next month.

The party’s interim leader, John Steenhuisen, also announced this week that he had suspended his campaign to become federal leader.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced stringent measures on Sunday to be implemented throughout South Africa over the coming months in a bid to “flatten the curve, slow down the virus” rate in the country.

On Monday, it was announced that the country had 62 confirmed cases of Covid-19, including localised transmissions.

“Due to the postponement of the DA’s policy conference and elective congress owing to the coronavirus pandemic, all campaign activities will resume closer to the elective conference and once a new date has been set,” Ntuli said in a statement.

She also welcomed Ramaphosa’s statement in which he declared a national state of disaster, implemented travel bans and prohibited large gatherings.

Ntuli said this also created a great opportunity for public representatives to help create more awareness in communities and to further mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

“In light of the coronavirus that’s a serious threat to the health of our people, the party has taken a decision to defer conferences to a later date and until such time we have confirmed dates,” said Moodey.

The DA was expected to hold these conferences after October.

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