Ntuli challenges Steenhuisen to public debates in DA leadership race

DA leadership hopeful Mbali Ntuli has challenged interim party leader John Steenhuisen to a US-style televised public debate, as she carved into him in the race for party leader.

“We do not need political strongmen in South Africa. We have had far too many of those in our history already. That will only take us backwards,” Ntuli said at a press briefing on Monday morning.

Steenhuisen, Ntuli and DA Gauteng leader John Moody are all in the running for the position.

Ntuli said, as an opposition, its federal leader should, at all times, also be viewed as a prospective president.

“It is therefore most certainly within the public interest to conduct a series of at least four live televised debates.

“Members of the DA, and the larger public, are tired of our politicians operating behind closed doors and under the cover of darkness, and not availing themselves for reasonable scrutiny and to be held accountable.”

Ntuli has challenged Steenhuisen to a series of four live televised democratic debates, “in keeping with the great liberal tradition”.

“I cannot think of a valid reason for John, or the party, to oppose an open and transparent debate of national interest on a public platform. There are some very important and notable material differences between John’s candidacy and mine, and the party deserves to scrutinise and vet us both fully.

“In fact, our federal constitution demands it. There are critical choices that the voting delegates to the DA Federal Congress need to make,” she said.

Ntuli again raised concerns about the DA’s virtual congress later this year.

“I do still have reservations about the security and efficacy of the proposed online system that has been proposed for the upcoming Congress and as such, I have written to DA Federal Chairperson, Dr Ivan Meyer, detailing my concerns and requesting assurances that these outstanding technical issues be dealt with and that the outcomes will be fully audited by an independent third party,” she said.

Ntuli said the system would not allow for any verification of who was actually voting.

“Only that a vote took place. It is not auditable on this basis, which is problematic if we intend to run a free and fair digital election system. I also stressed that, in an environment where there is coercion and fear, there could be an effort to rig the results.

“It is alarming that this could be achieved, as I am told by many people, as simply forwarding an email link, and then allowing somebody else to vote for you.”

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