Durban – The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has suspended its political activities in honour of the departed IFP founder and Zulu traditional prime minister Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The party was supposed to announce its provincial premier candidate on Saturday but had to postpone the event to a later date since it was clashing with the funeral of Prince Buthelezi.
Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday while overseas, the party provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson said the party felt it would not be proper to continue with political activities at the weekend of Buthelezi’s burial, adding that the party will find another date for the event.
“Apart from that our event was clashing with Shenge's funeral on Saturday, we felt we should postpone this event in his honour,” said Macpherson.
He together with the provincial leader Francois Rodgers and uMngeni Local Municipality mayor Chris Pappas are vying for the position. In terms of the DA policies, the position is applied for and the candidates go for interviews. All three candidates have been interviewed and are waiting for the announcement.
Pappas, who accompanied the national leadership on Tuesday to KwaPhindangene residence to comfort Buthelezi’s grieving family, confirmed his availability to the paper, adding he was ready for the announcement of the candidate. The uMngeni mayor, whose popularity has drastically increased since taking the mayorship position, sounded confident. Macpherson refused to be drawn into speaking about his candidacy, saying he did not want to comment.
According to insiders in the party it is a close contest between the three, saying it is difficult to even predict who will be announced as the candidate. The source said the position is more crucial especially since the party together with IFP is expected to govern the province. The winning candidate is expected to get a senior post and probably also be given a position of the leader of government business, a position equivalent to the deputy premier. IFP and DA in the province have working relationships dating back to the establishment of local government in 2000 and are expected to co-govern the province after next year’s general elections.
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