DA hands Cape leadership election dossier to defeated Max

Democratic Alliance leaders hope the losing candidate in Saturday’s Western Cape leadership election will accept the outcome after examining documents relating to the voting.

For the fourth time‚ provincial legislature member Lennit Max failed in an attempt to lead the provincial DA‚ losing this time to housing MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela.

He was unhappy about the outcome and wrote to the party asking for information about the vote.

DA federal executive chairman James Selfe said the party had given Max the documents he wanted‚ with only one outstanding‚ and hoped that after he had examined them he would drop his challenge.

“He wanted to see the voters roll ... he wanted‚ for example‚ to look at the reconciliation of the ballots issued and the ballots cast‚ and that we were able to do very easily‚” said Selfe.

Max had also requested a document listing people who had asked for an early vote‚ and the party was still compiling that.

“I really trust that when Mr Max receives that information‚ he will see that everything about that congress was above board and was administered as efficiently as can be expected in any election‚” said Selfe‚ adding that the party had developed rigorous systems to prevent challenges to the legitimacy of internal elections.

Max declined to comment in detail about his next step. “My first comment ...when I was asked how do I feel about the outcome of the congress‚ I had an obligation to reply as a candidate and I indicated that I did not accept the outcome because I have certain concerns‚” he said.

“Any steps further‚ I am not going to deal with the media ... I am now dealing with the party.”