More senior black leaders of the Democratic Alliance are expected to quit the official opposition in the near future.
This is according to former DA leader in the Northern Cape, John Louw, who dumped the party on Thursday, saying black people are marginalized in the organization.
“I hate to say this, I wouldn’t like to be a prophet of doom or even speak on behalf of other people, but when you look at the current situation, I can foresee that more people will leave the DA,” he said.
“That beacon of hope that the DA had for people is gradually disappearing., especially when you look at our black areas. I am of the view that there is a notion or wilful and deliberate attempt to try and get rid of black leaders, people of colour,” he added.
Louw, who was a member of the DA for 19 years, has joined former DA Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA.
He has become the latest prominent DA leader to dump the party, citing marginalisation of black people as a reason.
Last week, DA Free State leader Patricia Kopane exited the party, saying “I do not feel like I belong in the DA”.
She told EWN: “Especially after Mmusi left, we saw the regrouping of white people coming together, black people were marginalized, so I realized it is no longer the party that I belong to.”
On Thursday, the DA issued letters of suspension to Louw, his wife, and another member Grantham Steenkamp, accusing them of recruiting people to join ActionSA.
Louw said his wife remained a DA member and would fight to the “bitter end” to clear her name”.
“Obviously people are leaving the DA for reasons known to themselves. From what I can tell you with engagements from people that I had, I could clearly pick up that people have come to a realisation that the DA is not the DA that we defended, that we fought for. The DA is busy marginalising black people.
“That beacon of hope that the DA had for people is gradually disappearing, especially when you look at our black areas,” he added.
Louw’s departure also comes hot on the heels of the departure of the party’s former deputy federal leader Makashule Gana, who was also the organisation’s youth leader.
The party’s rising star, Bongani Baloyi, who was the mayor of Midvaal, also left to join ActionSA. Under Baloyi’s watch, Midvaal enjoyed a long period of clean audits.
This comes as the ANC ally, Cosatu, warned that its members must prepare for a life of coalition governments in KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and the Northern Cape.
DA spokesperson Solly Malatsi said Louw was facing serious allegations in an ongoing investigation.
“He jumped ship before it could be concluded,” he said
It has also emerged that the majority of black members of the Gauteng Legislature left the DA in the wake of the fallout caused by the election of former leader Helen Zille as the chairperson of the federal council and the rise to power of John Steenhuisen as party leader.
The resignations of black leaders in key municipalities, including Johannesburg and Midvaal, have dealt a blow to the party’s chances of winning Gauteng with an outright majority.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
