Phumzile Van Damme Shows Love to Mpho Phalatse As She Plans to Challenge John Steenhuisen: "Keep Going"

Phumzile Van Damme Shows Love to Mpho Phalatse As She Plans to Challenge John Steenhuisen: "Keep Going"

  • Mpho Phalatse has a former Democratic Alliance heavyweight backing her in her bid for the federal leader position
  • Phumzile Van Damme recently showed her support for the former Joburg mayor in a series of tweets
  • Van Damme encouraged Phalatse as she prepares to run against current DA leader John Steenhuisen

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JOHANNESBURG - Former Democratic Alliance (DA) member Phumizile Van Damme is never shy to speak on her former party's political drama. Van Damme recently took to social media to show her support for former City of Johannesburg mayor, Mpho Phalatse.

Phumzile Van Damme supports Mpho Phalatse
Phumzille Van Damme has thrown her weight behind Mpho Phalatse as she plans to run for the Democratic Alliance top position. Images: Deaan Vivier & Luba Lesolle
Source: Getty Images

Phalatse announced on Monday, 30 January that she will go head-to-head with John Steenhusien for the DA federal leader position at the party's congress in April.

Van Damme excitedly tweeted about Phalatse's decision to run, saying it is going to be entertaining because she personally knows the people in the DA.

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Mpho Phalatse guns for John Steenhuisen job as federal leader of the DA

“This is going to be a fun movie. I know all the characters, their motivations and strategies," said Van Damme.

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Phumizile Van Damm encourages Mpho Phalatse

The former DA MP first weighed in on Phalatse's decision to run by stating that "the establishment" was shaken because there was an assumption that Steenhusien would be unopposed.

Van Damme further encouraged Phalatse by saying she should continue on her journey even though victory seems unattainable. Van Damme added that there is still hope for the DA to be saved.

Mpho Phalatse says she was approached to run for the DA federal leadership position

In an interview on Newzroom Afrika, Phalatse explained that her decision to run for the DA's top position comes after she was approached by various people within the political organisation run.

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Phalatse added that there was a general sense that the DA needs new leadership and new energy to better connect with citizens. The former mayor also stated that the DA is not growing as fast as they had anticipated because there is a lot of competition now.

"We're not growing as fast as we would like, there's much competition now with many new entrants in this space and we do need to reconsider our stance as the DA," said Phalatse.

South Africans react to Phumzile Van Damme supporting Mpho Phalatse

@Brian_john29 said:

"The fact that you know what the DA stands for and you guys want to force them to change their stand and accommodate others says a lot and tells us why you left. And you know the truth, even when it hurts. Mpho is confident, though if she loses in CPT, she is more likely to leave."

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Thapelo Amad from Al Jama-ah party becomes new mayor of Johannesburg, replacing Mpho Phalatse, SA reacts

@chasww1 said:

"Great news! Steenhuisen is a very uninspiring leader."

@deanlewis74 said:

"Offering to be the face of their 2024 election failure? Bad move."

@Makovnikovs said:

"The @Our_DA old guard will never allow it though, when you go against the machine you can rarely win. A strong, capable and free-thinking black woman is not the requirement in the party, you know this more than everyone."

Mpho Phalatse plans to boot DA leader John Steenhuisen out of party’s federal leadership position

Briefly News previously reported that the former mayor of Joburg, Mpho Phalatse, has her sights set on the Democratic Alliance's top job.

Only three days after she was booted from the mayoral position for the second time, Phalatse announced her plan to contest for the position of federal leader on Monday, 30 January.

John Steenhuisen is currently the DA's leader, but Phalatse believes that her experience at the helm of the City of Johannesburg will give her the upper hand when leading the opposition party, Power 98.7 reported.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Lebogang Mashego avatar

Lebogang Mashego (Current Affairs HOD) Lebogang Mashego runs the Current Affairs desk. She joined the Briefly News team in 2021. She has 6 years of experience in the journalism field. Her journalism career started while studying at Rhodes University, where she worked for the Oppidan Press for 3 years. She worked as a lifestyle writer and editor at W24 and Opera News. She graduated with a BA degree majoring in Journalism and Media Studies in 2017. She's a recipient of the INMA Elevate Scholarship. Email: lebogang.mashego@briefly.co.za