JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is reportedly facing a complex internal struggle over its mayoral candidate selection in Ekurhuleni, following the controversial decision to appoint Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. Sources within the party suggest that the DA is now prioritising affirmative action over merit in Ekurhuleni to avoid the perception of being a "white party".
This comes after internal interviews for the Ekurhuleni mayoral chain saw Mike Waters, a seasoned DA politician, reportedly achieving the highest score among all candidates. However, Sunday World understands that the party leadership has overlooked Waters' candidacy due to concerns that fielding an all-white team for the three major Gauteng metros – Zille in Johannesburg, Cilliers Brink in Tshwane, and Waters in Ekurhuleni – would reinforce the narrative that the DA primarily represents white interests.
A senior DA member stated, “That was the issue; the DA realised it would face backlash if it didn’t have at least one black candidate in Gauteng.”
The appointment of Zille has further complicated matters, as expectations were initially for Cilliers Brink to return as mayor of Tshwane. Brink's previous tenure was cut short last year following a public disagreement between the DA and its coalition partner, ActionSA.
Now, Waters appears poised to become a "sacrificial lamb", as one insider put it, to shield the party from accusations of racial bias. However, this decision risks opening the DA to criticism that its commitment to merit-based selection can be easily abandoned for political expediency.
Sunday World understands that the DA interviewed four candidates for the Ekurhuleni mayoral position: Waters, former mayor Tania Campbell (both white), and two black candidates. However, the two black candidates, Malcolm Maifala and Lucky Dinake, were reportedly deemed lacking the necessary political clout to secure a victory in what is expected to be a closely contested and historically significant municipal election.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that Waters, despite being a respected figure within the party, carries potential reputational risks stemming from "sex-for-jobs" allegations he faced in the past.
Despite these concerns, Waters' supporters within the DA insist that he excelled in the selection process based on merit and should rightfully be given the mayoral chain. "He’s highly regarded in the DA, which is why his name came up. But his detractors are adamant that the controversy around him cannot be ignored," said a highly placed informant.
Tania Campbell, who briefly served as mayor after the 2021 elections when Refiloe Ntšekhe (a black candidate) was allegedly pressured by party bosses to decline the role, is also said to have performed well in the selection process. However, Campbell's short tenure was widely considered underwhelming, and insiders claim the party lacks significant achievements in Ekurhuleni to showcase during the upcoming campaign due to her alleged poor leadership.
A party source stated, "She was not the original choice for mayor, and there are ongoing discussions about the long-term use and development of leaders. The party is increasingly focused on succession planning. You have people like Tania or Mike who have been around for a long time, but the future may lie with a new generation."
Campbell confirmed to Sunday World that candidates have completed all internal processes and are now awaiting a final decision from the federal executive, the DA's highest decision-making body between conferences. She downplayed the allegations that the delays in announcing a candidate were due to considerations of circumventing merit in favour of affirmative action, which she described as the antithesis of what the DA espouses.
“What I do know is that there is an election strategy with set timelines, and those are discussed at the federal level,” she said.
The two black mayoral candidates, Malcolm Maifala (the DA's regional deputy chairperson in Ekurhuleni) and Lucky Dinake (the current chief whip in the metro), are both seen as lacking strong public profiles or significant political influence.
Maifala stated that he was unaware of any concerns surrounding his application and that the region was still awaiting a formal announcement from the DA's top leadership. "We don’t know what’s going on. We’re still waiting for the party to make an official announcement," Maifala said.
In an apparent attempt to resolve the situation, the DA's federal leadership reportedly approached Midvaal executive mayor Peter Teixeira, who is black, to run for the Ekurhuleni mayoral position. However, a source indicated that Teixeira declined, choosing instead to seek re-election in Midvaal, a DA stronghold.
The party is now believed to be exploring options outside of its existing ranks, potentially through headhunting or by re-opening the application process. In either scenario, Waters and Campbell would likely be persuaded not to participate. The DA faces a significant challenge in balancing its commitment to meritocracy with the political realities of South Africa's complex racial landscape.
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