DA 'most diverse party in SA'

2011-08-22 08:33

Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance on Sunday rejected a media report that there was little transformation in the party and all of its executive directors were white.

"The DA is the most diverse party in South Africa in every respect...our executive director team is not all-white as claimed in the article," DA federal council chairperson James Selfe said.

He said that 58% of staff at the party's head office in Cape Town, and 53% of national staff, were "previously disadvantaged" South Africans.

The statement followed a report in The Sunday Independent newspaper that the party was not "walking the transformation talk" by hiring an all-white team of executive directors to run its daily affairs.

Selfe denied the claim, adding that the party was in the process of re-structuring, which included further staff diversification.

"Some of the DA's top black staff members and managers were elected as public representatives following this year's local election."

"Party rules prohibit them from being both staff members and public representatives."

The newspaper claimed there were allegations of nepotism after party CEO Jonathan Moakes hired his wife Khurshed as executive director of support services.

Selfe said Moakes was appointed on merit in a process overseen by him and not the CEO.

- SAPA