Candidates for DA Federal Congress

Note to editors: The following statement was distributed at a press conference held in Johannesburg today by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, and Greg Krumbock, DA Federal Congress Convenor and Presiding Officer. 

The Democratic Alliance will hold its fifth Federal Congress on the 24th and 25th of November 2012, at the OR Tambo Conference Centre, Birchwood Hotel, Ekurhuleni. 

The Federal Congress is the highest decision-making body in the party, and is made up of delegates who are ordinary members and public representatives from DA branches across the country. Congress is the only party structure that can elect the Federal Leadership of the party and make amendments to the party's Federal Constitution. 

Federal Congress and Federal Council are tasked with filling seven Federal Leadership positions. Under the current Federal Constitution, those positions elected by full Congress are: Leader, Federal Chairperson, and three Deputy Federal Chairpersons. The Federal Council, which will meet on 25 November, elects the Chairperson of Federal Council, the Deputy Chairperson of Federal Council, the Chairperson of the Federal Legal Commission, and the Chairperson of the Federal Finance Committee.

Each of the elections will be conducted by secret ballot, and voting for the positions of Deputy Federal Chairperson will be done using the single transferable voting system. A total of 18 nominations have been received for the seven positions available. Any member of the party is allowed to nominate any other member, and nominations are in a member's individual capacity and not on behalf of any branch or structure of the party. 

The following members have been nominated for the positions described above:

Leader

Zille, Helen (incumbent)

Federal Chairperson 

James, Wilmot (incumbent)

Mnqasela, Masizole

Deputy Federal Chairperson (three positions)

Dreyer, Anchen (incumbent)

Gana, Makashule

Kalyan, Sandy

Kohler Barnard, Dianne (incumbent)

Lotriet, Annelie

Madikizela, Bonginkosi

Maimane, Mmusi

McGluwa, Joe

Mokgalapa, Stevens

Chairperson of Federal Council

Selfe, James (incumbent)

Deputy Chairperson of Federal Council

Steenhuisen, John

Walters, Thomas

Chairperson of the Federal Legal Commission

Schmidt, Hendrik (incumbent)

Chairperson of the Federal Finance Committee

George, Dion (incumbent)

Lees, Alf

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, October 17 2012

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