NYAKALLO TEFU
THE Democratic Alliance (DA) has been rocked by the resignation of another senior black leader amid allegations of racism, just a few days after the party held its elective congress at the weekend.
Lincoln Machaba, the City of Johannesburg councillor and regional youth leader, has resigned from the party, referring to it as “Freedom Front Minus”.
Machaba made an announcement on Tuesday morning, saying that he would be joining Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA.
Machaba is the latest senior DA leader to resign from the party amid allegations of racism after the departure of former party leader Mmusi Maimane, mayor of Joburg Herman Mashaba, parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko and the minister of public works Patricia de Lille.
There is speculation that more black leaders in the DA are being targeted.
These include feisty MP Phumzile van Damme, Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana and KwaZulu-Natal leader Zwakele Mncwango. Former youth leader Mbali Ntuli, who contested to become party leader at the weekend, is also said to be unpopular among the cabal.
“My decision to leave the organization came after the DA Federal Congress held this weekend. It is clear that the DA has abandoned the principle of diversity and the project of being a serious contender to the ANC,” said Machaba.
The DA has been widely criticized for electing predominantly white leaders at the elective congress.
Machaba said as the regional youth chairperson in Johannesburg, he has been constantly inundated by young members of the DA who are distraught by the direction of the DA and its racial denialism.
“They feel forgotten by the DA, left behind, and shut out of the organization by its re-branding as the Freedom Front Minus,” added Machaba.
The former DA leader said he decided to join ActionSA as a member and volunteer, with a personal mission to help build the organization and to ultimately rally the youth of South Africa behind the vision of ActionSA.
“I am deeply moved by ActionSA’s commitment to being a home for young people and it is already clear that the youth of South Africa are aligning themselves to ActionSA,” he said.
