‘Days of black DA leaders numbered’
ANC member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature Siboniso Duma has cautioned black leaders in the opposition DA that their days may be numbered, following the axing of Patricia de Lille as mayor of Cape Town.
Speaking during a debate yesterday, Duma told DA members in the legislature that De Lille’s axing was a sign that the white male grouping in their party wanted nothing to do with black people in its ranks.
He said while the DA had been led by two black people in recent years, there was evidence of the old guard looking to exert their influence in the party.
“There is something we are noting within the DA, first it was Lindiwe Mazibuko, today it is Patricia de Lille, tomorrow it will be Mmusi Maimane, because the old guard in the DA can’t stand being led by a black person,” said Duma.
He said ructions in the DA should be a warning to all black members in the party ranks that they had no future, especially those aiming for leadership, as the opposition party was about protecting white privilege.
He said the problems for the DA, both nationally and in other parts of the country, was a demonstration that the opposition party was blindsiding South Africans by claiming to be party for all races, and likened the developments to a team scoring an own goal at crucial times.
“All that we are saying is if you are Zwakele Mncwango, [Hlanganani] Gumbi or [Sizwe ] Mchunu, your days are numbered,” said Duma to the applause from the ruling party benches. “But what we want to say to the DA’s old guard is, continue to score those own goals, we welcome them.”
The DA has been in the news recently following rumours that party leader Maimane had been grilled by senior leaders about his remarks on “white privilege and black poverty”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa commended Maimane during his question and answer session in parliament yesterday for speaking out on the issue of “white privilege and black poverty”, and promised that the ANC would defend him. – ANA
First it was Mazibuko, today it’s De Lille, tomorrow it will be Mmusi Maimane because the old guard can’t stand being led by a black. Siboniso Duma KwaZulu-Natal ANC member