With no challenger, Andrew Whitfield will return as the DA’s Eastern Cape leader and Yusuf Cassim will return as provincial chair after both secured a second term unopposed.
This comes as the party gears up for an aggressive push to expand its municipal footprint in the province ahead of what promises to be bruising local government elections for major parties.
Nominations for the DA’s provincial congress closed on Friday, ahead of its sitting on February 27-28 in Gqeberha.
Whitfield said he loved a good contest and had mixed feelings about being uncontested.
“But I see it as a thumbs up. It is an endorsement of what we achieved across a range of indicators.
“I have always been contested. It is a new experience.”
He said the party in the Eastern Cape had stabilised over the past three years following a challenging period.
What would be next for the DA in the province, Whitfield said, would be unpacked in detail at the congress.
“It would be to win as many municipalities this year as a launch pad into 2029,” he said.
He wants the DA in the Eastern Cape to be at the centre of a government of provincial unity after the 2029 national elections.
“We believe it is possible based on our ability to remain resilient in certain areas and grow in others.
“We have a government in Kouga, which is really doing some exceptional work.”
He said the municipality had two back-to-back clean audits and had secured financing to repair roads through a loan.
“It is a really good blueprint for what is possible in other municipalities.”
He said Kouga, Nelson Mandela Bay and Dr Beyers Naude municipalities had been identified as strategic for the party.
DA councillor Ewald Loock was elected as the new mayor of Dr Beyers Naude after the 2021 local government elections. However, he was later removed.
“We are right on the cusp there. There will be a by-election in March, which will demonstrate our ability to get into government at the end of the year.”
He said the Makana municipality was also on their radar.
“Some people might ask why. Because we don’t have over 20% of the vote there.
“The reason is that it is partly strategic, as the Sarah Baartman District Municipality is strategic for us.
“Designating Makana strategic gives us a level of focus that, if we run a campaign, we have the potential to get into government.
“Growing our share of the vote there through a dedicated, strategic focus will help us get over the line in the Sarah Baartman district.”
He said all municipalities in the Sarah Baartman district would receive special attention.
Whitfield said the provincial congress needed to wrap up before the focus shifted to the national congress.
“We need to assemble the provincial executive and have a conversation about the future of the party more broadly.”
He said the new leadership team in the Eastern Cape would have some ideas on how to shape the party in the province.
“We can’t support someone if you don’t know who else is accepting.”
He said it was mostly speculation at the moment, and more hands might be put up.
“There are provincial congresses ongoing and could shape what happens at a national level.
“Our congress needs to conclude so a discussion can take place as a new team.”
Cassim said he believed that leadership was about service, which was his commitment when he asked for DA members’ support three years ago when he raised his hand.
“I will approach this renewed trust placed in me with the same vigour.
“The DA remains the only party that can rescue our municipalities from total collapse, and we have a responsibility to safeguard the stability and unity that we have built in our ranks,” he said.
Cassim said the DA in the province had built a high-performance team that had produced electoral victories and growth in the previous general elections and by-elections.
“A DA local government has also taken the Kouga municipality from being the second-worst-run municipality in the province to being the best run.
“We are committed to leading the DA into government in Nelson Mandela Bay and more municipalities across the province so that we can do the same.”
For the two deputy leader posts, former Kouga mayor and MPL Horatio Hendricks is nominated alongside MPL Vicky Knoetze and MP Mlindi Nhanha.
Nhanha said he was running again for the post after occupying it for the last three years.
“My focus and the outgoing executive have been deliberate in his [Whitfield] role. He raised a substantial amount of money.
“OR Tambo, where I am assigned, was a leading constituency with many branches.
“This is an area which, in the past, has been an ANC stronghold. We have made serious inroads.”
Hendricks said he had been the deputy chair and was now pushing for the deputy leader position.
“I have been serving the party for 18 years.
“We have a crucial election coming up and I have much to contribute to growing the party in the Eastern Cape.
“I am ready for this position.”
Knoetze said she would be a valuable asset to the DA in the province.
“I believe that my 19 years of experience as a DA member, combined with my experience as a DA public representative for the past 15 years and member of the Eastern Cape provincial executive since 2017, will be valuable assets for the DA in the Eastern Cape as we continue to navigate the challenges faced by the people of our province.
“I further believe that my role in the Eastern Cape legislature, that of the leader of the opposition, will continue to uniquely complement my role on the provincial executive to keep fighting for a life of hope and dignity for the people of the Eastern Cape.
“I have given nearly half my life to fight for our cause, and I am committed to continuing to do so with the support of the Eastern Cape congress.”
In February, Samantha Graham Maré, Monde Desha and Hendricks were elected as the first, second and third deputy chairs.
Nominated for the three deputy chair posts are MPL Marlene Ewers, Bay councillor and caucus leader Rano Kayser, MPL Valencia King, Walter Sisulu Ward 3 councillor Matthee Nel, MP and deputy chief whip of the national caucus, Baxolile Nodada, as well as MPL Marshall Buchenroder.
Ewers, who is the North-East Cape constituency leader, said she looked forward to the contest.
“I believe being in the North-East Cape part of the province, I can bring value and bring a voice for the people.
“We all try to campaign and phone people, but at the end of the day, it depends on who the delegates want.”
Nel, a former station commander in Venterstad, said it was always exciting around congress, whether it was provincial or national.
“To be a nominee is an honour, especially from our constituency when people think you’ve got leadership skills.
“It’s nice to know you can be part of the blue train, especially in the rural areas.”
Kayser said he was humbled that nominations came from members such as former Bay mayor Retief Odendaal and Hendricks.
He said he had been an activist from a young age, was a volunteer with 15 years of experience in local government, where he occupied key positions in the executive.
“I’ve been assigned various responsibilities, where I’m currently leading the largest caucus in the province.
“I bring a wealth of experience in terms of governance, political leadership, especially now, where we’re faced with the most important local government elections.
“Based on my experience both in government and politics, I can contribute to consolidating the support base of the organisation as well as grow it in strategic areas where we might face opposition.
“What I want to see is branch structures empowered, to ensure branches are strong branches in terms of the constitution, because if you’re able to build strong branches, you can have a strong campaign.
“Strong branches have strong political output.”
King was a teacher at John Bisseker High School before she became active in politics.
She said this was her last year of contesting for leadership.
“My nomination was emotional. One of my mentors, who brought me into the DA, nominated me.
“They felt now was an opportunity to put my name forward again.
“Deputy chairs are a direct link to the chair, who does all the logistics for the elections of the party.
“I put my hand up to make sure I can assist in any way I can to get the strategic objective of the party.
“I want people to be more robust to regain ground lost from smaller parties and be a link to the party for members in easier communities.
“You can’t be a leader without training others. This will be my last time standing for leadership.
“After this, I was to foster development within the DA.”
Taking to social media, Nodada, who joined the DA in 2016, said he brought a tried and tested growth strategy.
“What I offer is clawing back support under threat, maximising voter turnout in strongholds and growing the DA vote into new areas through driving issues that connect with voters.”
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