DA's hopeful 70 vie for Gauteng legislature seats

About 70 hopefuls are vying for seats as DA MPLs to the Gauteng legislature for the upcoming elections.

The Times can confirm that a “provisional list” of 70 names will be forwarded to the party’s federal executive - led by Chairman James Selfe - to be finalised on Friday.

The final list will likely be made public either on Friday or Saturday.

A DA insider said the final list was unlikely to include many unfamiliar faces.

“I don’t expect surprises as the nominees are people that have been working tirelessly to grow the DA over the years,” the insider said speaking on condition of anonymity.

The DA’s candidate for premier of Gauteng Mmusi Maimane will automatically be placed first on the province’s final list.

Over the weekend, members of the provincial executive - excluding those who are nominated as potential MPLs - deliberated over the provisional list.

Another insider indicated that deliberations within the provincial executive had the potential to significantly alter the makeup of the list. This means that candidates that were ranked higher up the list by the party’s selection panel - made up of about 150 members - could be pushed downwards and visa versa.

Before lists reach the selection panel, they first go through the Electoral College which is made of about 70 people. These are chosen from the party’s constituencies by ordinary members, allowing intense lobbying in the form of electing members who will push for preferred candidates.

Selfe said the provincial list processes were completed in some provinces while there were yet to be completed in others.