The Multi-Party Charter For South Africa (MPC), which includes the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA and ACDP said there have been no discussions relating to a joint presidential candidate for the charter after weekend reports said the DA had discussed this with Roger Jardine, the former chair of banking group FirstRand.

A weekend newspaper reported that DA funders are believed to be behind the idea of Jardine becoming a presidential candidate for the DA or a coalition of opposition parties that are part of the MPC.

The MPC on Tuesday issued a statement saying: “It is fully recognised that every party in the Multi-Party Charter has the autonomous right to engage with, and make decisions about their relationship with, different individuals and organisations. Notwithstanding this fact, the Multi-Party Charter For South Africa would like to point out that.

“The Charter agreement recognises the individual identity of each party and the imperative for each party to grow its individual electoral support with a view to advancing the prospects of a collective majority for the charter. It is understood that this requires each party to advance its own offer to the South African people within the context of the agreement.”

The MPC said any decision to support a joint presidential candidate, either before or after the election, would be based on the merit and mandate of the candidate.

“The parties in the Multi-Party Charter For South Africa affirm that our parties are led by leaders who are all capable of providing the leadership needed for a new multi-party coalition to start the work of turning South Africa around,” the statement read.

Jardine recently stepped down from his post as banking group FirstRand’s chair and is a seasoned business figure with a history of involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Jardine was appointed director-general of the department of arts, culture, science and technology at the age of 29 in 1994, and later served as CEO of Kagiso Media, Aveng Group and Primedia before becoming FirstRand chair.

The Mercury

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No consensus on a joint presidential candidate, says Multi-Party Charter