2 Tshwane Councillors Dump the Democratic Alliance Over Racism Claims
- Latest media reports suggest that the Democratic Alliance has been dumped by two councillors in Tshwane - Mike Mkhari and Rose Maake
- Mkhari and Maake allege that the DA is racist and they said white leaders within the party are using regional leader Mpho Mehlape-Zimu to fight their battles
- Mehlape-Zimu has since responded to Mkhari and Maake’s claims, arguing they are using just using race in the DA as an excuse
- The two DA councillors' departure from the opposition party comes weeks after Phumzile Van Damme also left the party and resigned from Parliament
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The Democratic Alliance has lost two of its councillors in the Tshwane metropolitan council, citing racism within the party.
The latest media reports indicate that two officials, ex-MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management Mike Mkhari and Rose Maake, a PR councillor in Soshanguve, have dumped the opposition party.
The duo has resigned from the Tshwane City Council and the party, accusing the “bully white cabal” within the official opposition of racism and using regional leader Mpho Mehlape-Zimu as a front to fight their battles.
Source: Twitter
Mkhari and Maake’s resignations come after Member of Parliament Phumzile Van Damme also parted ways with the political party and resigned from national Parliament a few weeks ago after she was on forced leave by party leader John Steenhuisen.
Racism allegations
According to IOL, Mkhari said a number of black councillors were targeted by their white detractors, saying Mehlape-Zimu is being used by the white party officials. Mkhari said, as quoted by IOL:
“She was parachuted into the position to serve the agenda of the white elite, and in fact, she is being fronted. She doesn't even know what is happening in her own region.
“Even in the DA caucus there is a group that is used to target other councillors, and if those issues are brought to the attention of the leadership, it becomes a matter of which cabal are you part of?”
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Zimu responds to Maake and Mkhari's claims
EWN reported that Mehlape-Zimu has since wished the duo the best of luck going forward. She is quoted:
“How long have they been in the DA? If ever there was racism in the DA, they would have realised it many years ago. They’ve been in the DA until yesterday. Just because things are not working out for them, they are claiming [sic] the race card.”
Van Damme leaves DA
In other politics stories, Briefly News reported that Van Damme had resigned as an MP and said that she will also be leaving the Democratic Alliance.
This comes after the former shadow Minister of Communications announced that she was being tormented by a group within the DA. She posted a statement on social media and said that she had no plans on joining any other political party.
Van Damme maintained in her statement that it was not due to the perception that the DA was a 'racist party' that she is resigning but due to a small number of people within the DA.
She has been involved in a protracted battle with the DA over allegations that she had physically assaulted a man.
"I have today tendered my resignation as a DA MP. Thank you so much, South Africa.”
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Source: Briefly News
