Long-standing DA member finds new home

After serving the Democratic Alliance (DA) for 25 years, member of the legislature in Gauteng Khume Ramulifho has decided to jump ship and join Rise Mzansi.

Ramulifho said it was not an easy decision, but that structures put in place in terms of advancing the DA’s position were no longer active.

“These structures used to assist us. Whenever there was a position we could interrogate it, but that is no longer in the party. I don’t think the DA’s direction will take us beyond where we are,” he said.

He joined the DA in 1998 as a student activist at the then Vaal Triangle Technikon, now the Vaal University of Technology.

Ramulifho also served as DA youth regional chair, Gauteng youth leader and federal youth leader. In 2006 he was elected to be PR councillor in the City of Joburg then served in the Gauteng legislature until his resignation.

Ramulifho noted that when he joined he wanted to “build a successful DA where we are inclusive and go to all the communities and not certain areas”.

“At the last IEC registration weekend, we were told our priority is wards where we have 50% of votes considering the last elections in 2021.

“For example, if I am assigned to Soweto, this means I am not going to do anything because it’s not a priority. This means I don’t have a role to play.”

Political analyst Dr Levy Ndou said; “Ramulifho is leaving the DA for political reasons.

“There are serious political contestations within the DA, ideas they don’t agree on.

“Ramulifho had a position in the DA and was deployed in government. He is resigning from both the DA and his role in government.

“When was the last time you read about a DA premier candidate talking about elections or the programmes? What is the purpose of launching a campaign when you have no ideas?”

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi noted that Ramulifho exiting the DA “made it the most unrepresentative party in the Gauteng legislature in terms of race and gender representation”.

Political analyst Dr Bernard Sebake said the DA had gone back to representing the privileged minority.