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Important DA announcement expected
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[Opinion]Twenty years too late for the DA
Interesting opinion by Chris Gibbons
http://www.enca.com/opinion/twenty-years-too-late-da
Interesting opinion by Chris Gibbons
http://www.enca.com/opinion/twenty-years-too-late-da
Highly active in my branch and the constituency.
What glass ceiling?
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I assume you have ambitions to be an MP. For that you have to have some level of diplomacy and be a reasonable person who considers the views of others.
Im still young to be a MP. And thankfully there are no people like you who would have a choice in whether or not I ever become an MP if I ever decide to go that route. Right now I am pretty happy with my current activities in the party.
If I ever do become an MP it will be to completely overhaul the telecoms industry. I would break Telkom into smaller competing companies, liberalize the market and make sure ICASA is transparent and accountable.
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R13...
Honorary Master
I assume you're assuming the party you'd be rep'ing would be in government at the time you're MP? Otherwise all non ruling party suggestions however sound will be ignored as happens now.
Yup, I think in the next 15 years the ANC will lose power and the DA will be part of a governing coalition.
How old are you? I ask because 2 of the people initially punted for the leadership race are in their 30s, 3 if you include Makashule Gana. They had little to no experience but got MP roles
Im in my 30`s. In no rush to be a MP though. I dont consider myself experienced enough for the position and I would only want it if I could play a serious role in telecoms transformation. That is still a while away.
Earlier in this thread you supported Maimane to lead the DA, given his age and your opinion of experience relating to age, why do you think he should lead, with such little experience? Effectively a few years experience in the DA, let alone in Parliament?
Nice tricky question.
The only truthful response is that Maimane is the 'right' colour for the electorate.
If I could speak like Maimane and inspire that type of leadership I might reconsider my options. Maimane has talent that I wish I had.
He has more than me in the DA
Since 2010 he has being a public rep. I see he has held several good positions in the party.No doubt he has potential, but my point is experience. Why him when others WAY more experienced in the party are put aside, in the case of Trollip and De Lille, they chose lower hanging fruit of municipal and provincial roles respectively.
Quite frankly one of the reasons I have held the view the DA is insincere sometimes is cases like these, normally on cases like affirmative action for example, they go on about experience should take priority. And yet when it fits the political expediency motives, experience is cast aside. Which is why I ask why you feel you are not experienced enough...
Has and is achieving it.
Of course, there were also people more experienced than Helen when she took over. Experience is not enough to win. You can have all the experience in the world, but if you cant inspire people in your leadership you are not going to get far.
I didnt know De Lille was in parliament
You dont think after Athol lost to Lindiwe (an awesome but less popular candidate than Mmusi) he might be more careful in picking his battles?.
Experience is important and Mmusi has a lot of it. 5 years in public service is a lot. However, if you think experience is everything you dont really understand politics.
I havent spent years in the public light. I dont have 5 years of PR service. I dont even have 1 day of PR (public rep) service. Im not a natural public speaker and leader like Mmusi is. If I had his talent, his experience and his leadership skills I would mot likely be trying to be a MP. I dont. Im a technical person. Im in politics because of Telkom. When I have to stand up and speak to a group of 100-500 people I get horrible fear. I havent been through an election cycle as a PR rep. You cant even compare me with him without sounding silly.
That's unfortunately not an answer.
Being the leader of the DA is a glass ceiling, if you've occupied it for 15 years and still practically in your youth.
Yeah it is. Whats hard to understand about my answer? What type of answer are you looking for? A detailed CV? A delegate can be any counselor or member that plays an active part in building the party.
I guess Tony Leon felt the same way. The party is growing every election and I believe that in the next 15 years the DA will be in a governing coalition nationally.
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So why do you dream of becoming an MP? Clearly not your role in life.
Its not a dream, its a goal. You are right, this is not a role that would come easily to me. I have to work hard for it. I have to train myself regularly in public speaking (even joined toastmasters). My goal to try play a positive role in telecoms in South Africa means that I have to step out of my comfort zones and work hard to develop new skills. Achieving that goal is more important than any fear I might have of public speaking.
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R13...
Honorary Master
He's obviously not the best man or woman for the job and in this case the DA is picking someone of colour to hopefully dispel the notion that they're a white party. I think they'e shooting themselves in the foot - they need to decide whether they pick the best for the job regardless of colour or admit that they're playing the racial game (which plays into the hands of the ANC). If they must pick on colour then convince De Lille to go for the job but it sounds from what ghoti is saying that the membership is bent on colour so Mmusi would win but not De Lille.
Praeses
Executive Member
I don't think De Lille would stand a chance against Mmusi. It's not about race, it's about popularity (which has its pros and cons).