City of Joburg executive mayor, Herman Mashaba has announced his resignation from the DA and as mayor of the city effective 27 November 2019.<\/p>\n
Mashaba’s decision comes in the wake of former DA leader, Helen Zille, winning the bid to become the party’s federal chairperson this weekend.<\/p>\n
“I’m gravely concerned that the DA I signed up to, is no longer the DA that emerged from the weekend,” Mashaba said in a media statement on Monday.<\/p>\n
“The election of Helen Zille as federal chair is a victory for those within the DA who stand opposed to the principles I stand for. I cannot reconcile myself with people who see race as irrelevant in the discussion of inequality and poverty in South Africa in 2019.”<\/p>\n
The position of federal chair is akin to the role of a CEO in a company, or the secretary-general of a political party, and is said to be the second-highest political position in a party after the leader.<\/p>\n
Zille’s return to the higher ranks of the DA follows many years of controversy – particularly over her social media posts – and conflict with senior party leaders, including Mmusi Maimane.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the DA’s federal chair vote on the weekend, several reports citing ‘party insiders’ speculated the Mashaba would hand in his resignation should Zille gain the position.<\/p>\n
The mayor was quoted as saying that ‘right-wing elements’ had infiltrated the DA.<\/p>\n
Mashaba said that the delay in his resignation is to give officials enough time to find his replacement.<\/p>\n
Zille back in the game<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking to EWN, Zille said that it is confusing to her that Mashaba would resign over her appointment knowing her history as someone who fought against apartheid.<\/p>\n “Herman knows very well that I was hiding uMkhonto We Sizwe operatives in my house when he was a businessman making many billions out of hair straighteners and things,” she said.<\/p>\n Zille said that her return to politics literally happened overnight after she was approached by people from within the party asking her to throw her hat into the race.<\/p>\n She said that she had started a new life, and was enjoying exploring the new opportunities that had presented themselves – but she also saw that the DA needed her.<\/p>\n “The issues facing the DA are enormous, and if the DA’s project fails, South Africa’s democracy fails,” she said.<\/p>\n However, she stressed that her job was not to be leader of the party, saying that she would be a ‘behind the scenes co-ordinator’, making sure that the party structures operating and interface effectively and efficiently.<\/p>\n You can watch Mashaba’s full address below:<\/p>\n