Mmusi Maimane - who is he?

[rpm]

Mmusi Maimane on Saturday announced that he will be standing for the position of DA leader.

The 34-year-old official opposition leader who hails from Dobsonville, Soweto, entered the public domain in 2011 when he became the DA's national spokesperson.

He held this position until 2014.

In 2011, he was elected to be the opposition party's Johannesburg mayoral candidate for the 2011 local government elections.

He then served as leader of the DA in the Johannesburg city council until May 2014.

Maimane has also held the position of deputy federal chairperson since 2012.

During the 2014 general elections, Maimane ran as the DA's candidate for Gauteng premier.

Shortly after the May elections, he was elected DA parliamentary leader.

Maimane and his wife Natalie, who he married in 2005, live in Johannesburg with their two children Daniel, 2, and KG, 4.

He has three degrees - a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of SA, a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Witswatersrand, and a Masters in Theology from the University of Wales.

Maimane has been tipped to be frontrunner to take over the leadership reigns of the DA from Helen Zille.

Zille announced last week that she would not be standing for re-election.

If Maimane wins the leadership race the country may see a paradigm shift from the perception that the DA is largely supported by a white middle-class electorate.

The DA is holding its federal congress next month in Port Elizabeth.

Nominations for leadership positions close on April 24.

News24 - http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Who-is-Mmusi-Maimane-20150418

 

[rpm]

Mmusi Maimane, after a week of speculation, has accepted nomination to stand as the DA's leader, saying it is his chance to "restore hope" in the country's future.

"It has not been an easy decision," he said in a letter sent to the DA's public representatives on Saturday morning.

"I have thought long and hard about what it means for my young family. And I have had to consider whether the timing is right.

"In the end, I decided to accept this nomination because it is a unique opportunity to restore hope in the nation's future," he said.

The announcement comes a week after current party leader Helen Zille announced that she would not be standing for re-election as the party's leader.

At the time of the announcement Maimane was mum on whether he was considering standing for the position.

But from the start there was speculation that he would be the frontrunner for the job.

In the letter, Maimane said the future of the country depended on the DA.

He said the next task was to take the DA to the next level.

"We need to build on the successes of those who went before us by becoming a party that can challenge for power on the national stage.

"This is my offer to you: A stronger DA for a better South Africa. Together, we can grow and we can win," Maimane said at the end of his letter.

News24 - http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Maimane-to-stand-for-DA-leader-20150418

 

[Pitbull]

Just reading this gave me goose bumps. He's them man for the job. We can only hope and pray he becomes our next president. As there is no other hope. We've seen a steady decline since 1994 and it will only get worse. Maimane for President !!!

 

[D3athD00r]

Just reading this gave me goose bumps. He's them man for the job. We can only hope and pray he becomes our next president. As there is no other hope. We've seen a steady decline since 1994 and it will only get worse. Maimane for President !!!

+1.

 

[saturnz]

We've seen a steady decline since 1994 and it will only get worse.

The assumption being that for the 20 years before 1994 there was a steady improvement.

 

[PostmanPot]

NEWS JUST IN: DA Parliamentary Leader Mmusi Maimane has confirmed he'll be running for party leader.

*edit*

Not really just in, is it.

 

[D3athD00r]

The assumption being that for the 20 years before 1994 there was a steady improvement.

Did he say anything about pre-1994? That is a whole other topic. Metrics in action...

 

[saturnz]

Did he say anything about pre-1994? That is a whole other topic. Metrics in action...

yes, when he said "since 1994" the implication is that before 1994 there was a steady rise

you can't go down unless you went up, you know like the saying, what goes up must come down

 

[])ragon_\/oid]

Just reading this gave me goose bumps. He's them man for the job. We can only hope and pray he becomes our next president. As there is no other hope. We've seen a steady decline since 1994 and it will only get worse. Maimane for President !!!

Well, even though I also think he is the man for the job, odds of him becoming president though are very unlikely.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Well, even though I also think he is the man for the job, odds of him becoming president though are very unlikely.

Dont be so sure about that,
I am assuming the ANC dosent cheat and its a fair election,

Hes in with a shout, looks like someone who got all the answers, and not afraid to say it like it is.....

 

[WaxLyrical]

Gave a powerful speech the other day regarding the xeno attacks in stark contrast to the insomnia inducing claptrap that Zuma spewed.

 

[AthenianOwl]

Just reading this gave me goose bumps. He's them man for the job. We can only hope and pray he becomes our next president. As there is no other hope. We've seen a steady decline since 1994 and it will only get worse. Maimane for President !!!

+111111111111111111111111111111

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

+111111111111111111111111111111

Would you vote for him? I would,

But what worries me is if the ANC tries to fudge up the results, and another incompetent fool takes over, what then?

 

[Pitbull]

Well, even though I also think he is the man for the job, odds of him becoming president though are very unlikely.

Even if not 2019. Then next one for sure. I'm very confident he will become president within the next 2 elections for sure.

 

[battletoad]

yes, when he said "since 1994" the implication is that before 1994 there was a steady rise

Nope. Saying "since 1994" means you set that as the initial time, and focus solely on the time period after that. What happens before that is immaterial to the subject at hand.

you can't go down unless you went up, you know like the saying, what goes up must come down

Tell that to the Voyager satellite

 

[])ragon_\/oid]

Even if not 2019. Then next one for sure. I'm very confident he will become president within the next 2 elections for sure.

Looking at the current economic situation, and power situation, and all the other stuff happening, that might be too late.

 

[Pitbull]

For once I have to admit saturnz have a slight point. I need to amend my initial date and say from 2003 till now. We had good growth 1994 - 2003. Since then it's gone tits up. 1994 - 2003 was good for the country.

 

[Pitbull]

Looking at the current economic situation, and power situation, and all the other stuff happening, that might be too late.

Very true. At least Zuma can't be President again. So no matter who takes over, it will be better than him

 

[D3athD00r]

Nope. Saying "since 1994" means you set that as the initial time, and focus solely on the time period after that. What happens before that is immaterial to the subject at hand.

Tell that to the Voyager satellite

+1. I don't think there was a steady incline for everyone pre-1994. It was steady infrastructure and maintanance for the minority.

Like I mentioned it's all about metrics that can be measured. The measured metrics paint a bleak picture post-1994 even after all this time. Where is the "good story to tell" as the government says? This is a whole new debate to the post's topic.

Things look really ****ing bleak as it stands. We need new leadership-especially from a coconut.

 

[D3athD00r]

Very true. At least Zuma can't be President again. So no matter who takes over, it will be better than him

So who in the top 10 of the *******'s ministers will make things better? They are all corrupt hence his power now.

No party should be in power for more than 1 term. Power corrupts absolutely.