Is Mazzone planning to usurp Steenhuisen?

Is Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary chief whip Natasha Mazzone about to make a play for party leadership?

She allegedly led the charge in the party’s federal executive to remove the now notorious Phoenix posters.

The placards referred to the community as heroes for standing up to crime during August’s looting spree. The ANC, in turn, levelled accusations of racism at the party in a public duel.

The takedown demanded by the ANC was eventually enforced by a DA federal executive decision last week.

Many in the DA are unhappy about the party folding to pressure from its ideological nemesis, with stalwart and former MP Mike Waters resigning from his position as Gauteng East regional campaign manager in response.

“Buckling to the will of the ANC and playing to their agenda, the very agenda we [the DA] proclaim to oppose, is a betrayal of our values and principles,” said Waters.

In 1998’s Fight Back campaign, former leader Tony Leon refused to back down after allegations of racism were hurled at the party.

A well-placed insider said federal executive chair Helen Zille and senior members Greg Krumbock and Ashor Sarupen were the only members of the executive to oppose taking down the posters.

But Zille told The Citizen there was no vote on the matter.

“I did not speak once because I had very weak, intermittent connection from the rural Eastern Cape,” she said.

Party leader John Steenhuisen was also not present for most of the meeting due to campaign commitments.

“The whole federal executive took the decision,” said Steenhuisen, rejecting any notion, as suggested by the source, that there may have been a split in opinion.

“I never said they should stay up or come down. I maintained the view that all South Africans, regardless of race, who upheld the law in the face of lawlessness, looting and vigilantism with the retreat of the government, are heroes. That was and remains my position,” Steenhuisen said after media reports first saw him defending and later distancing himself from the debacle.

Former MP and current DA federal council member and political commentator Shelley Loe said: “The issue goes far deeper than the posters.

“This looks like it was a blatant vote of no confidence in John Steenhuisen’s leadership, possibly led by Mazzone, and it seems he chose to flip-flop his position.”

This action, she said, reflects poorly in the public eye and can weaken any leader politically.

“I’d be surprised if this does not impact performance at the polls in November.”

When asked whether she had an eye on party leadership, Mazzone said: “John Steenhuisen is the most incredible leader I have ever worked with; he has my unwavering support, and the polls will show he was the right choice. I support him 100%, I would take a bullet for him, and I would follow him into war!”

Sources noted there is internal tension between the liberals and what Loe calls “the ANC-lite” faction, a hangover from Steenhuisen’s predecessor Mmusi Maimane.

“Steenhuisen has been a great stabilising factor for the party,” she said.

– news@citizen.co.za