POLITICS - Days after the ANC disbanded its Western Cape provincial structure, some of its leaders have now crossed the floor and joined the DA.

Among these leaders is the former Western Cape provincial secretary, Neville Delport, a long time member of the ANC.

He told the media in Cape Town on Wednesday that he believes the DA is the most suitable party that can deliver service to residents of the Western Cape.

“This is just the beginning of ANC councillors defecting to the DA especially in rural regions as we develop a strategy in the Western Cape to make sure the DA remains the political party in charge,” he said.

Why did they join the DA?

Delport said the group of defectors was considering joining the PA in the Western Cape, but then realised the PA was failing to deliver services in the areas it controls.

“We were looking at the constitution of the DA; we were also looking at how they run municipalities, clean governance and all that. 

“We also had to look at the PA and what they stand for. It was actually an easy decision to make because if you join the PA, you are just a number there and people are making a lot of noise for two days but there is no clear strategy on how they are going to change the lives of people, especially coloured people that they are standing for.

“If you do research in coloured wards where the PA has won, you will see there is no clear development with those wards …there is no clear service delivery plan, but when you look at where the DA governs, this is where I took a decision,” he said.

ANC factions

Delport said he was also frustrated by internal ANC factions that led to him and other PEC members being removed from their positions. They were replaced by a task team appointed to revive the weakened ANC after the 2024 elections.

“We were actually thrown out and replaced by leaders who lost the elective conference. Those leaders do not represent the will of our coloured communities and that is where we are stuck.

“So, we took a decision as a collective – and like I said many will follow – to make sure that we have a new political home and that new political home is the DA,” he said.

Plight for Western Cape residents

Delport said he understands that his decision may come with some difficulties but he said he is prepared for that.

“It is going to be a tough road ahead but I am willing to do it for the sake of all the residents of the Western Cape,” he said.

He accused the ANC of acting in an undemocratic manner in disbanding the Western Cape’s PEC and imposing its choice of leaders.

“The national working committee (NWC) did not look at the majority of voters in the Western Cape when it appointed the task team,” he said.

Zille welcomes ANC members

Meanwhile, the group of ANC defectors were welcomed by DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille.

She told them that they are joining a party that respects the constitution and rule of law.

“We are a party of the rule of law and due process and this is the DA’s constitution, it is not a master’s thesis.

“We are not a party that hires and fires people over Facebook Live, we have got processes and systems in our constitution,” she said.

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She said she has been in talks with Delport for some time about the appetite by some ANC members in the Western Cape to cross to the DA.

“This was a considered move and has been a long time in the formation,” she said.

Zille said the ANC members who are coming over to her party will not be screened. But she said when they do apply for positions in the party they will go through a selection process which will include initial screening.

She said she believes the ANC will “disintegrate” in the Western Cape.

“Its polling is the lowest it’s ever been,” she said.

Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen

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