The Democratic Alliance (DA) federal executive is due to meet on Tuesday to discuss Premier Helen Zille’s potential successor.
The party called off an announcement over the weekend that was expected to yield the candidate for next year’s election.
It’s already confirmed its candidates in other provinces.
Political analysts say leader Mmusi Maimane’s suggestion that he become premier is a peculiar move and that there could be more to his self-nomination than meets the eye.
While it’s neither illegal nor unconventional for the DA to propose that its leader also stands as premier, the party’s dynamics and vision have shifted since Zille held both jobs.
Political analyst Zwelethu Jolobe says the DA’s current conundrum again points to its problems in following its own rules.
“It will always raise some suspicion if the one person who is supposed to be the main articulator of DA policy tends to operate in a way that tends to undermine the very organization which he leads.”
Jolobe adds that it appears the party does not place as much value on its leader representing the party in Parliament.
“This is literally trying to shore yourself up in a pond, where you should encourage the blooding of new leaders within the DA.”
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