CONTROVERSIAL DA MP Masizole Mnqasela has accused the party's national spokesman, Mmusi Maimane, of being a "referee and a player" at the same time.
Mnqasela claimed unhappiness over Maimane was expressed by party members who are contesting the three positions of deputy federal chairmen.
Mnqasela announced his plans to challenge Wilmot James for the position of federal chairman. He said the anger against Maimane was triggered by his chairing a DA press conference on Wednesday at which the party candidates list was announced.
Maimane also fielded questions on the matter.
"If he chooses to become spokesman on such matters and continues to talk about other candidates, while he himself is a candidate, the best is for him to recuse himself," Mnqasela said.
Maimane said Mnqasela's comments were "unfortunate".
He said he never used the press conference to advance his candidacy.
"I did not speak about my candidacy... I have a job as spokesman and if I don't communicate on congress I will fail the party," he said.
Mnqasela said he would push for his party's elective conference next month to give more powers to the position of DA Federal chairman.
Mnqasela told reporters in Cape Town that a DA Federal chairman did not play a significant role in the running of Western-Cape's governing party, except presiding over party congresses.
The DA elective federal congress takes place in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, next month.
Mnqasela said he would table constitutional amendments at the congress for the terms of party office-bearers to be extended to four years instead of the current two.
Two years were not enough to do justice to the party's mandate.
DA MP accuses Maimane of bias
CONTROVERSIAL DA MP Masizole Mnqasela has accused the party's national spokesman, Mmusi Maimane, of being a "referee and a player" at the same time.
Mnqasela claimed unhappiness over Maimane was expressed by party members who are contesting the three positions of deputy federal chairmen.
Mnqasela announced his plans to challenge Wilmot James for the position of federal chairman. He said the anger against Maimane was triggered by his chairing a DA press conference on Wednesday at which the party candidates list was announced.
Maimane also fielded questions on the matter.
"If he chooses to become spokesman on such matters and continues to talk about other candidates, while he himself is a candidate, the best is for him to recuse himself," Mnqasela said.
Maimane said Mnqasela's comments were "unfortunate".
He said he never used the press conference to advance his candidacy.
"I did not speak about my candidacy... I have a job as spokesman and if I don't communicate on congress I will fail the party," he said.
Mnqasela said he would push for his party's elective conference next month to give more powers to the position of DA Federal chairman.
Mnqasela told reporters in Cape Town that a DA Federal chairman did not play a significant role in the running of Western-Cape's governing party, except presiding over party congresses.
The DA elective federal congress takes place in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, next month.
Mnqasela said he would table constitutional amendments at the congress for the terms of party office-bearers to be extended to four years instead of the current two.
Two years were not enough to do justice to the party's mandate.