The former DA leader, now party chairperson, Helen Zille, is bad news for the official opposition.
Zille coming back to active politics is not benefiting the DA. The sooner it realises that the better. Every black member who resigns from the DA blames her for being racist. But is she the real reason for Herman Mashaba (who was recruited by Zille) to resign from the party, two years or so ago? I think not, though Mashaba cited her as the reason for leaving.
My theory is that Mashaba planned his exit from the DA as soon as he became the executive mayor of Johannesburg. My theory is based on the event that took place during Mashaba's tenure as mayor.
ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont (who didn't see eye-to-eye with DA leader John Steenhuisen) wrote Mashaba's book, Accidental Mayor, whilst he was chief of staff in the former Johannesburg mayor's office.
The book's aim was to launch Mashaba's political career as a leader of a new political party, and it did achieve its goal. So, in my book, Madam Zille is not the real reason why Mashaba left the DA. She was used as a scapegoat.
Mashaba, who is now the ActionSA leader, and is likened to businessman-turned-politician Donald Trump, is a political novice. That means he relies on his instinct, not experience, to lead. Yet, he is leading people with vast political experience. It does not make sense.
But that's not the focus of this write-up. I want to raise an issue with ActionSA recruiting former DA members and automatically making them leaders in the national and provincial structures.
For starters, ActionSA has yet to hold an elective conference. So, the party leadership is appointed, not elected. Is that democratic? That means it is led by a cabal. That is dangerous. Does the leadership have moral authority to lead the party? Not at all.
In other words, the party leadership is there by consensus. And members who come from the DA are given leadership positions. In essence, ActionSA is nothing but an extension of the official opposition party.
Thabile Mange, Mogale City
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