An erstwhile village boy from Limpopo has been given the task of national spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance (DA), a key position in Solly Malatsi’s lustrous 11-year career in a vibrant political arena.
Malatsi, a DA Parliamentarian for the past four years and a dynamic leader who is known for his youth empowerment efforts, is not new to the world of communications though as he has held positions of similar capacity within the party before. Now occupying the position previously held by Phumzile van Damme, Malatsi will be considered the mouthpiece of the DA on all party matters.
Asked for his comment on the position that took effect last Wednesday Malatsi said he felt honoured but equally excited, especially with the party going into election preparations and having emerged from difficult times in the recent past.
It was a reflection of possibilities in a South African democracy and was affirmation that those who fought for that democracy opened possibilities for others, he reckoned. Also that those who worked hard would be recognised, he added. According to Malatsi it further demonstrated that Limpopo was becoming more prominent in the DA, simultaneously for recently having taken the honours at the national congress and in the same vein being recognised as contributor to the leadership.
Considering his latest responsibilities, and hardly able to control his excitement about the election period ahead, Malatsi underscored the DA’s professional and solid machinery in terms of communications. In this regard he said he would want to bring his personality into the role and harness the DA’s robust relationship with the media and put effort into that relationship. Being a big party they needed to constantly work on their relations with the media and change media perceptions of the DA and to communicate on party successes where governance was concerned as voters didn’t always get to know the fantastic work being done in government, he opined.
As for the fact that his biggest immediate challenge seemingly would be saying goodbye to any sign of a private life, he remarked that it would be a sacrifice he needed to make to serve the party cause.
Malatsi concluded by referring to an unlikely smooth entrance into a new job which he, however, expected to be dictated by difficult moments in future. Evidently a challenge not too great for a village boy from Limpopo who has become acquainted with party politics playing out in parliamentary caucus rooms and chambers.
Story: YOLANDE NEL
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