In a previous version of this article, we stated that DA Deputy Federal Chairperson Solly Malatsi had received a salary top-up from his party. Malatsi has since pointed out he was not part of those who received this gratuity. We acknowledge the error and regret any harm or reputational damage this may have caused. We always strive to uphold the highest standards of accurate, fair, and responsible journalism.
Refiloe Nt’sekhe has broken her silence, lifting the lid on what she describes as deep-rooted failures within the DA’s campaign machinery in Ekurhuleni.
The former DA deputy federal chairperson used last Sunday’s regional general council to deliver a scathing assessment of her experience as the party’s mayoral candidate in the city, according to insiders.
Sources say Nt’sekhe portrayed Ekurhuleni as a neglected region, accusing the party of sidelining it while directing significant resources towards Johannesburg and Tshwane.
Central to her criticism was her experience during the 2021 local government elections.
Nt’sekhe reportedly told party structures she was left to fend for herself on the campaign trail, working with what she described as an inexperienced team and without the institutional backing she had anticipated. She further raised concerns about what she viewed as an uneven distribution of campaign resources.
However, DA Gauteng chairperson Solly Msimanga has strongly rejected these claims, labelling them “unfortunate and untrue”.
“Resources were allocated to Ekurhuleni,” Msimanga said. “Mayoral candidates choose their own campaign teams, so it is unclear what the issue is.”
Nt’sekhe also alleged that no proper postmortem was conducted after the 2021 elections, an assertion Msimanga disputes. “There was a postmortem. She was invited, and a bosberaad was held. There are minutes and pictures from those meetings,” he said.
He added that campaign structures were present and operational throughout the election period.
“I was there during the campaign. There were structures in place,” Msimanga said.
Nt’sekhe’s account marks a sharp departure from the optimism that accompanied her candidacy in 2021, when she was unveiled by DA leader John Steenhuisen as the party’s mayoral hopeful in Ekurhuleni.
At the time, she projected confidence and urgency, positioning the election as a turning point for the metro.
Addressing supporters at the party’s “Let’s Get Things Done” rally in October that year, she said: “We are one week away from changing the fortunes of our people for the better.”
She also leaned on her political track record, framing her candidacy as part of a longer commitment to public service.
“I have been fighting for our municipality… for our children, for our parents, for our brothers and sisters, for our futures.”
However, tensions appeared to emerge soon after the elections. Despite fronting the DA’s campaign, Nt’sekhe was not put forward as the party’s mayoral candidate when the council convened. Instead, the DA backed Tania Campbell, a decision that raised questions within party ranks.
The development fuelled speculation that Nt’sekhe had been used as the face of the campaign, only to be sidelined during coalition negotiations, a perception she denied at the time.
Nt’sekhe later clarified that she had withdrawn as a councillor candidate ahead of the council sitting, opting to continue her work in the Gauteng legislature.
The financial implications of a potential move to local government also weighed on her decision. She faced the prospect of leaving a more secure position for one without guarantees and had no assurance of a salary top up if she lost the mayoral post.
Msimanga maintained that the decision not to remain in local government ultimately rested with Nt’sekhe. “She could not determine whether she would remain,” he said. “An offer is made when it is needed.”
He added that financial arrangements such as salary top ups are handled internally within party structures.
“This is being dealt with at a federal executive level, not through leaked reports,” Msimanga said.
A confidential report, signed in December by the DA’s former federal finance chairperson Dion George, sheds light on the party’s internal financial support mechanisms. The document outlines “payments, or top ups, currently paid by the party to public representatives”.
Among those listed are Steenhuisen, Deputy Finance Minister Ashor Sarupen, head of policy Matthew Cuthbert, MP Werner Horn, parliamentary chief whip George Michalakis, and uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas.
- In a previous version of this article, we stated that DA Deputy Federal Chairperson Solly Malatsi had received a salary top-up from his party.
- Malatsi has since pointed out he was not part of those who received this gratuity.
- We acknowledge the error and regret any harm or reputational damage this may have caused.
- We always strive to uphold the highest standards of accurate, fair, and responsible journalism.
- Refiloe Nt’sekhe has broken her silence, lifting the lid on what she describes as deep-rooted failures within the DA’s campaign machinery in Ekurhuleni.
