The Democratic Alliance has dismissed a report that senior DA leaders are plotting to form a breakaway true liberal party as nothing more than rumours and gossip.

The City Press said on Sunday that‚ angry about the direction the party was taking under the leadership of Mmusi Maimane‚ senior leaders had been holding consultations and were said to be keen on getting Western Cape Premier Helen Zille to lead the new party.

DA national spokeswoman Refiloe Nt'sekhe said on Sunday that the party had held its biggest and most diverse federal congress last month.

She said the congress had brought together thousands of delegates who had reaffirmed their confidence in the party and the leadership they had elected.

She said at the congress‚ the party had supported the inclusion of diversity as a value of the party and adopted 18 strategic resolutions that would form the basis of its manifesto offer ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“As such‚ the reports in the City Press today are nothing more than rumours and gossip.

“These fictitious ‘senior leaders’ are not even mentioned once in the story but comments from the CEO of a think tank seek to give these rumours importance.”

She said the DA leadership was currently on a roadshow‚ engaging with DA structures ahead of the 2019 elections.