Think tank launches campaign to 'save' DA's direction and future
7 October 2019
The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has taken yet another step to influence the direction of the DA, launching a campaign entitled #SaveTheOpposition on Monday.
South Africa's second-largest party is in a tug-of-war involving those who are trying to return the party to its old, classic liberal values and those seeking to broaden its ideology by including transformation and diversity more prominently in policies.
The former, seen as the "liberal bloc" have been linked to former leader Helen Zille, who is now a contender for the federal council chairperson position. The latter have been linked to embattled party leader Mmusi Maimane, who has been at the centre of two recent storms.
Maimane has been questioned over his stay in a R4m house in Claremont - which he declared in the parliamentary register even though he did not own the property - and his use of a hired car which disgraced Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste paid for.