Demoted DA parliamentary caucus chief whip Natasha Mazzone will be gunning for the position of deputy federal chairperson when the party holds its elective conference in April.
Mazzone, who was demoted and moved to the backbenches, is already in a campaigning mood and is confident of her prospects in her race for the position, which is currently occupied by Refiloe Nt’sekhe.
Mazzone, whose campaign was launched last week, said she was upbeat about her chances of striking it big in the party’s leadership stakes. “I am indeed running as one of the deputy chairpersons in the upcoming election.
“I think I’ll be best placed as deputy federal chairperson,” Mazzone said this week.
She denounced claims that she had been demoted. “John (Steenhuisen) did not demote me, but I was not happy in the position of chief whip.
“I felt I was not correct (sic) in the position of chief whip given the country’s circumstances. I would be of more use looking after state security as John’s national security adviser.
“There is no fallout between John and I,” she said. Steenhuisen said as the leader of DA, “I have the prerogative to make changes to the national caucus to align with the party’s strategic goals.
“Mazzone is a valuable member of the caucus. All other allegations are baseless.”
Steenhuisen has denied there is bad blood between him and Mazzone, and that Mazzone was not enjoying the support of the party’s general membership, describing the allegations as baseless without any substance.
News that Mazzone has thrown her hat in the ring for the position came after the announcement that ousted former Johannesburg executive mayor Mpho Phalatse will also challenge Steenhuisen for the top position when the congress kicks off on April 1.
It is not clear if it would be a cakewalk for Mazzone, but unconfirmed reports suggest that Mazzone enjoys support in Gauteng, mainly Pretoria and some parts of Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, the Free State and Limpopo.
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