DA hit by rumours of racial tension

The deputy mayor of Theewaterskloof Municipality in Caledon has withdrawn his resignation after DA intervention.

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Cape Town - The deputy mayor of Theewaterskloof Municipality in Caledon has withdrawn his resignation following a last-minute intervention by the DA leadership.

The DA went into crisis mode on Wednesday after its councillor and deputy mayor, Mlulami Tshaka, unexpectedly handed in his resignation sparking rumours of racial tensions and divisions within the party’s Overberg ranks.

By noon on Wednesday, deputy provincial DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela was locked in crisis talks with Tshaka and the municipal mayor, Chris Punt, at an undisclosed venue in Strand.

And the trio emerged later with an agreement that Tshaka will withdraw his resignation.

Confirming that the deputy mayor had a change of heart, Madikizela denied racial tensions in the party.

“He initially resigned because he wanted to serve the DA in the Eastern Cape, where his family resides. His resignation had nothing to with the ANC’s claims of racism,” Madikizela said.

Denying that there’s trouble within party ranks, Madikizela said the DA’s house was in order in the region, despite another DA councillor in the Cape Agulhas municipality, Warnick October, also handing in his resignation.

“The issue of racism is Marius Fransman’s own talk. The truth is when you have a number of people from different backgrounds working together, the fact that they differ on issues does not mean it is racism,” he said.

Madikizela added that the DA was a democratic party where opposing views were encouraged.

“The deputy mayor told us that he initially planned to leave for the Eastern Cape just before the local government elections so that he will have enough time to go and campaign that side, but he decided to do so now because of disagreements he had with some members. It is not true that he jumped ship and joined the ANC as seen on Fransman’s Facebook page,” Madikizela added.

Following Tshaka’s resignation, Fransman, the ANC’s Western Cape leader, took to Facebook to air his views.

He posted: “After a successful engagement with DA deputy mayor of Theewaterskloof, Grabouw area last night, he decided to hand in his resignation as ward councillor this morning (Tuesday) as he cannot anymore defend the internal racism within DA. We heard horror stories of how at DA VIP events white people don’t want to eat out of same cutlery that was used by black members.”

In a statement, the ANC said DA was imploding in the Overberg, as more councillors jumped ship.

Referring to what it called “a wave of DA defections”, the ANC said the deputy mayor summarily resigned due to the bad treatment he received from especially the DA’s white bosses.

Regarding October’s resignation, the ANC claimed he could not stand the DA arrogance and ill-treatment any longer.

“We heard the same message repeatedly by so many public representatives that left that party which only looks after white interests and big business,” Fransman said.

And the ANC hinted that a number of other senior councillors were also getting their affairs in order to resign.

But Madikizela was unfazed, saying while Fransman and Tshaka may have met, everything the ANC leader had since said, was untrue. “The deputy mayor is staying put. I have managed to convince him to see his term through and we will talk about his Eastern Cape plans,” he added.

Madikizela said he has tried to get hold of October but unfortunately had no luck in doing so. However, DA insiders in the Overberg said members have been split along racial lines with unhappiness among some regarding the treatment they’ve suffered at the hands of their party colleagues.

warda.meyer@inl.co.za

Cape Argus