‘We need to focus our weapons on the opponent’, says Msimanga after re-election as DA Gauteng leader

Former City of Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has been re-elected as the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng.

DA Gauteng held its elective congress at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Saturday, which saw Msimanga emerge victorious for a second term in leading the province ahead of the 2024 elections.

Msimanga and provincial legislature member Khume Ramulifho went head-to-head for the top position after former Johannesburg mayor and caucus leader Mpho Phalatse pulled out of the race.

In addition, Fred Nel was elected as DA Gauteng chairperson, while Pogiso Mthimunye elected the province’s deputy chairperson.

‘Battle is never internal’

Addressing delegates following his re-election, Msimanga said that his main task was to continue uniting the DA and supporting all its structures. 

“I want to say thank you very much for giving us the mandate to take us to what is going to be victorious election in 2024. We promise that this plane will land safely in 2024… in the legislature when we say to Panyaza Lesufi pack your bags and go,” he said before he called Ramulifho on stage.

“Most of you are wearing Solly Msimanga and Khume Ramulifho t-shirts… that ends today because tomorrow we will all be wearing DA t-shirts.

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“All of us are united behind ensuring that 2024 is something that becomes a reality. I want to thank Khume for ensuring that we exercise our democratic right here in the Democratic Alliance,” Msimanga added.

He warned delegates must not allow divisions to creep into the DA.

“The battle is never internal but external. We need to focus our weapons, our energy on the opponent which is ahead of us,” he said.

Msimanga was first elected as DA Gauteng leader in 2020 after departures of prominent members such as Makashule Gana and John Moodey.

DA moonshot pact

Earlier, DA leader John Steenhuisen delivered his opening address at the congress in which he briefly spoke about preventing a “doomsday coalition” between the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) through the party’s proposed “moonshot shot”.

The DA will host a national convention at Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park between 16 and 17 August.

The convention will discuss a coalition agreement with several other political parties ahead of next year’s general elections.

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On Saturday, Steenhuisen claimed that DA polling has shown that the opposition parties combined could likely reach 48% of electoral support in Gauteng only.

“That’s 2% short of a majority, and we haven’t had an election campaign yet,” he said.

The DA leader said he hoped that the moonshot pact coalition will result in “a new and better future for the people of South Africa”.

“And we hope to emerge from there, with an agreement, with a group of parties, represented in the pact, will focus on providing not just a way to get the ANC out of power, but providing an alternative to the ANC,” Steenhuisen added.