Tony Leon finds DA leader’s view of Cyril ‘bizarre’
FORMER DA leader Tony Leon, who was chastised by members of his own party for describing newly elected ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa as a “game-changer”, has hit back at his critics.
During a meeting in Chatsworth on Monday evening Leon commended the new ANC president as a gamechanger in South African politics, saying the DA should back his quest to root out corruption in the country’s politics.
His views were challenged by DA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango, in a Facebook post yesterday, who said although he respected Leon’s personal view he had a right to join the ANC if he believed Ramaphosa is a game-changer.
“I have a problem with him (Leon) coming to my province, addressing DA members and telling them to support an ANC leader.
“We have our own leader Mmusi Maimane and he will be our presidential candidate whether Leon and his crew accept him or not,” Mncwango wrote.
He added that Ramaphosa had protected President Jacob Zuma and further questioned what differentiates Ramaphosa from the rest of the ANC leaders, saying it was his new deal “which is not clear”.
“The ANC remains the same as it was under Zuma and people mustn’t get confused. I rally behind Maimane not Ramaphosa,” said Mncwango. Others reacted to Mncwango’s Facebook post by adding their criticism of Leon.
With the DA’s provincial congress leadership race hotting up, Leon said he had made it clear that he did not want to get involved in factional politics. “I find the utterance of the provincial leader quite bizarre and unbefitting a provincial leader of the DA, which I spent many years building.
“If he and others cannot see that Cyril Ramaphosa is a game-changer in our politics, then I’m afraid they shouldn’t be in a leadership position,” Leon said.
He reiterated that the DA should support Ramaphosa 1 000% if he does the right thing and be his biggest enemy if he goes off the path.
“I can only assume that those comments were distorted by people involved in the provincial leadership contest here. I am a friend of Dean Macpherson and he asked me to go and speak at the meeting.
“Macpherson said support should always be lent to those who are willing to clean up corruption in South African politics and state-owned enterprises.