Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen says the party’s newly-elected leadership is the most diverse of all the country’s leading political parties.
Steenhuisen was reacting to criticism on social media that the new leadership elected at the weekend’s federal congress is dominated by white males.
He says the party elects leaders based on merit and not race and that the composition of the party’s support base also reflects its diversity.
“I think when you see the DA, I think you see South Africa represented. People have also been elected for their ability to do the job, but it is also reflected in the support base. Because in that same study that was released to weeks ago, [it] states very clearly that 32% of the DA’s support comes from black South Africans. About 31% of it [is] from coloured South Africans, 7% from Indian South Africans and 30% white South Africans. It is by far the most diverse support base which shows that the DA is making inroads in all communities in South Africa,” explains Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen beat Johannesburg Councillor, Dr Mpho Phalatse, in the leadership race.
The video below is the full interview with John Steenhuisen:
