DA Congress: Party rejects deputy leader role proposal

DA rejects deputy leader role proposal as congress debates key amendments.

Rosetta Msimango/News24

The DA Congress rejected a proposal to create a deputy leader role.A proposal to regulate coalition agreements was also voted down.An amendment tightening rules on leaking confidential information was approved.The DA has voted against the establishment of a deputy leader position at its ongoing congress at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand,Johannesburg.

A proposal to amend the party’s constitution,brought by Gauteng’s Pogiso Mthimunye and seconded by Duncan Mthembu,fell short of the required threshold of about 66%.

Instead,only 50.08% voted in support. This means the proposed amendment failed to meet the two-thirds majority requirement.

This was not the first time such a proposal was brought before a DA Congress. It was,however,the first time it managed to get significant support.

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In their proposal,Mthimunye and Mthembu argued that the DA’s pivotal role in the national government has placed unprecedented demands on the Federal Leader.

Rolling coverage | DA congress votes against getting a deputy leaderThey had hoped that the role would specifically focus on: intensively engaging with party structures to ensure they are aligned and mobilised; and communicating directly with voters regarding the party’s strategy and progress within government,among other duties.

The outcome saw several delegates call for a re-vote,which was also shot down.

“For those complaining,you didn’t even come close to the required two-thirds majority,” the convenor of the session,Kevin Mileham,said.

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This was one of 58 amendments that were up for a vote in the congress. Several were shot down,while some were approved or passed.

Another contentious amendment,which was also put to a vote,concerned coalition agreements. It was proposed by Paul Kotze and Jan Hendrik Cronje.

They argued that any agreement to form a coalition government at a local,district or provincial sphere of government must be approved by a majority of the federal executive following a recommendation from the relevant provincial executive.

READ | DA Congress: ‘I love this party’,says John Steenhuisen in final speech as leader

Kotze and Hendrik also proposed that any agreement to form a coalition government in the national sphere of government must be approved by a majority of the Federal Council following recommendations from the Federal Executive.

The proposal also wanted coalition agreements to be made public and be based on a signed,written document that explicitly outlined the principles of the agreement.

In addition,the proposal stated that “a DA member appointed as a mayor or premier,or to an executive position in a coalition government,is bound by the terms of the approved coalition government agreement. Any material breach of the agreement by said office-bearer may be grounds for misconduct proceedings under section 2.5.4.”

Delegates sing and dance as the The 2026 DA federal congress continues at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Photos: Rosetta Msimango/News24

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The proposed amendment,was shot down.

The party appears to be tightening its screws,particularly on discipline. One such proposed amendment was on leaking confidential information.

It was proposed by DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach and her seconder,Werner Horn.

According to the pair,“the amendment seeks to tighten up on confidentiality of closed meetings and the information discussed and emanating from those meetings”.

“With leaks from party structures being a persistent problem,amending this section will permit the party to hold the full chain of those involved in any leak of sensitive or confidential information accountable,” they argue.

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This was one of several constitutional amendments that were passed.

The congress continues at the Gallagher Convention Centre.