VETERAN opposition leader John Moodey has resigned from the Democratic Alliance. Moodey was the DA’s Gauteng provincial leader and Shadow MEC for Community Safety.
Moodey told a media briefing on Wednesday that he no longer feels at home in the DA.
“I’ve prided myself in contributing to the successes we’ve achieved in growing the DA in all race groups and taking the fight to the ANC right in their strongholds and stomping grounds, in standing against political intolerance and intimidation, making sure that we spread the DA message to every community and area, not only in Gauteng but across the length and breadth of South Africa,” said Moodey on Wednesday.
“I have regrettably and after much soul searching reached the point where I am unable to defend these insensitive utterances and statements. The party’s lack of principle in failing to appropriately deal with redress in this most unequal society.”
Moodey joined the DA in 1998 and he’s been serving as the party’s provincial leader since 2012.
His resignation from the party means that he has subsequently pulled out of the DA’s leadership race.
The DA said in a statement that Moodey’s departure is both unfortunate and unnecessary.
The DA believes that he is making a mistake because the DA is the only Party that can unseat the ANC and deliver a fair, effective and accountable government.
“John has cited alleged unfairness through the charges he faces before our Federal Legal Commission. We confirm that due process was followed, as it always has been. We reject the allegation that these charges amount to a witch-hunt against him,” the part said in a statement.
“It is very unfortunate that he plays the race card to justify his decision to avoid due process.The DA remains committed to growing our support in all communities across our diverse society. To this extent, we are pleased to see our growth during the last 5 months. We are well on course to become the core of a realigned majority that will defeat the ANC, bring good governance, ensure an economic recovery and an open opportunity society for our country.”
The ANC Caucus in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature said it has noted the resignation of Moodey from the Democratic Alliance.
“We are not surprised by the abandonment of the DA by Mr Moodey who has suddenly ‘realised that the DA doesn’t care about the majority of black South Africans’. The DA was never and will never be the home for all South Africans. We expect many more black and colored members of the DA to resign in their numbers as Madam Zille and her Cabal continue to purge all Africans from the White neoliberal party. We only expect the disgraced and DA poster boy Mr Solly Msimanga to remain in the whites only party,” it said in a statement.
“While Mr Moodey has experienced the ‘Damascus moment’ only now, he joins a long list of leaders that have been purged by the DA. The centre right positioning of DA confirms that it is still a party of white privilege which was formed to defend the interests of whites who are still trapped in the old South Africa.”
The ANC caucus said regrettably Moodey abbetted the DA’s gerrymandering by his continued membership and leadership of a party that has consistently shown insensitivity to black South Africans on comments about race and colonialism by a leader of the DA.
“The resignation of Mr Moodey is a confirmation that the DA is incapable of transforming to a party that represent the aspirations of all South African irrespective of race, class and gender and remains an exclusive laager of white privilege and exclusivity.”
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
