Dean Macpherson says Steenhuisen would have won DA election but ‘put the country first’

Democratic Alliance (DA) KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Dean Macpherson doesn’t want to speculate on his future in the party, but prefers to focus on his task as public works and infrastructure minister. This comes after speculation that he might run for one of the DA’s top jobs in its April elective congress.

Speaking on the sidelines of an appearance on Thursday, 5 February, at the Cape Town Press Club, Macpherson discussed with Daily Maverick the speculation that he could potentially vie for the role of the Federal Council chairperson, to replace Helen Zille while she aims to become mayor of Johannesburg: “I think that anyone who speculates on any position or makes announcements before the 27th of February should desist and let’s see what comes out.”

The party’s elective congress has been brought to the forefront with the announcement by DA leader John Steenhuisen that he would not seek re-election for a third term.

Read more: IN FULL: Read John Steenhuisen’s ‘moonshot mission accomplished’ speech

While Macpherson was reluctant to speculate on his future, he spent some time talking about Steenhuisen and his decision.

Reading from a prepared speech, Macpherson said: “John helped build a modern opposition party into a national force capable not only of campaigning, but of governing. He led the DA through a period where coalition politics became a permanent feature, and where the idea of entering national government shifted from speculation to reality.”

Macpherson praised his friend and said: “He also did something that almost no leaders ever do, he groomed, promoted and supported a generation of young people in this party to lead the party long after he stepped down. People like Siviwe Gwarube, Bax Nodada, Solly Malatsi, Chris Pappas, Cilliers Brink, Geordin Hill-Lewis and myself.”

Several of these names have been mentioned as possible candidates in the party leadership race. Nominations will open on 27 February.

Read: After Steenhuisen’s exit, here are the front-runners for the DA’s top job

Macpherson continued: “[Steenhuisen’s] eyes have always been on the future and maybe government can learn something from John – build strong institutions and invest in people that last beyond you.”

Macpherson and Steenhuisen, both from Durban, are long-time allies. Macpherson also ran Steenhuisen’s campaign and would have run his re-election campaign.

“John Steenhuisen knew that he could win an internal election and chose to rather put the needs of the country first and to say, ‘I think maybe it’s time for someone to take us to the next level.’ I don't know that any other political leader would have made that choice.”

Macpherson said he respected the decision, especially as Steenhuisen’s focus would be on the devastating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The decision to step away, Macpherson claimed, took “remarkable political intuition and maturity” to allow the next generation to take the party to the next level.

Read more: ‘I have loved leading the DA,’ says Steenhuisen, exiting leadership race under party pressure

Steenhuisen’s ostensible reason for not running for re-election was that he needed to focus all his energy on tackling FMD. However, he faced an ongoing DA investigation over “bringing the party into disrepute” and recently faced multiple controversies, including his removal of former DA finance head Dion George as environment minister, using, and later reconciling, a party credit card for his personal use, and receiving a default judgment against him for unpaid credit card debt.

‘We should rally behind John’

Macpherson heaped praise on Steenhuisen and urged support for him as the agriculture minister’s attention now shifts to FMD.

“John and all of us sympathise, and you know no one wants to see some of the scenes on farms of cows dying and farmers putting down cows. There’s no person in this country that takes enjoyment in that,” said the minister.

Macpherson referred to the legal letter sent to Steenhuisen and Department of Agriculture officials over his handling of vaccines and challenging the decision to centralise procurement, suggesting that the public should “be very careful of organisations and groups”.

Read more: Farmers take foot-and-mouth disease fight to Steenhuisen as vaccine battle escalates

“I think that we should rally behind our farmers. We should rally behind our farm workers. We should rally behind John. We should all collectively work together to defeat foot-and-mouth disease forever in this country,” he said.

DA Western Cape mayoral candidates

Earlier in the morning, during an announcement of eight mayoral candidates in the Western Cape, Steenhuisen said: “I’m stepping aside precisely because I believe I achieved my goal for this party: to take us into national government and to grow our support base.”

The party announced mayoral candidates for eight municipalities: Beaufort West, Kannaland, Knysna, Hessequa (Riversdale and surrounds), Laingsburg, Central Karoo District Municipality, Overberg District Municipality and Cape Winelands District Municipality.

Further announcements are due soon. The mayoral candidate for Cape Town was not announced.

Cape Town Mayor and DA Western Cape deputy leader Geordin Hill-Lewis broke his silence on the leadership race on Thursday.

Hill-Lewis has been a favourite to eventually run the DA, holding a pedigree that sets him apart from other competitors: founding the DA students’ organisation branch at the University of Cape Town, being chief of staff for Helen Zille and eventually becoming the DA’s youngest MP. He became the youngest mayor of Cape Town.

He said on social media that after Steenhuisen’s announcement, he’d been approached by “many party members” to stand for party leader.

“The DA’s internal campaign rules stipulate that public campaigning may only begin when the nomination period opens. That will happen later this month, which is when I will announce my intentions,” he wrote.

“Whatever is decided, I will remain committed to stand for a second term as the Mayor of Cape Town. It is the DA’s biggest government and our strongest platform as we head into the local elections,” he said. “If I do stand for election as DA leader, I would welcome a robust and principled process focused on competing ideas for the future of our party and our country. We have many excellent leaders and an open exchange of ideas can only strengthen us.” DM