Winde wants to tackle Western Cape’s racial issues

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) recently announced key appointees in the Western Cape hope to win back doubting voters and restore unity in the party’s provincial structures.

Yesterday DA leader Mmusi Maimane announced the party’s premier candidate elect for the 2019 general elections would be Alan Winde, following reports that Maimane declined the position when it was offered to him. He also introduced the new Cape Town mayor elect Dan Plato.

While Winde told The Citizen one of his missions would be to help create dialogue around racial issues facing the province, Plato said he did not believe racial tension in the city during Patricia De Lille’s disputes with the DA had alienated coloured voters.

Plato said his first order of business was to restore unity in the party’s caucus in the city.

“It is very important to restore unity and to bring the caucus together to function as a unit. The caucus has had huge problems and divisions and the City of Cape Town has had issues. All that must come to an end. That is the first order of business for me after which I will concentrate on service delivery,” said Plato.

Winde said he was honoured to have been chosen after Maimane turned down the position, saying he had big shoes to fill from his predecessor Helen Zille.

“Obviously I wasn’t in the federal council for that debate which took place.

“It is in our constitution that the leader of the party has the right to take any position, whether it’s a mayoral, in the premiership or in the National Assembly,” said Winde.

“I was given the opportunity because he declined the position and it is a great challenge. I have been very humbled by the process, because it provides an opportunity to build on a legacy.”

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