Cape Town - Another disgruntled Patriotic Alliance (PA) proportional representative councillor has resigned as a member of the party and councillor of the City of Cape Town and joined the DA.
Marvin Sampson, who tendered his resignation over the weekend, said he could no longer be part of a party that “bullies and threatens its councillors”.
“I have been in a very unstable space for a year and this on its own has had a very serious and negative impact on my relationship as a husband, father and public servant to the people of this beautiful city.
“I can no longer allow myself to be bullied, intimidated and constantly threatened to be removed as a councillor. As a husband, father and breadwinner I must have job security and not be told that ‘a till cashier has more job security’ than me as a councillor in this party.”
His resignation follows that of Aslam Richards, who joined the DA last Wednesday.
Richards said he joined politics because he wanted to make a difference, but it was becoming harder and harder to see how he could achieve this in the PA.
DA provincial leader, Tertuis Simmers, welcomed Sampson to the party at a media briefing on Monday.
PA leader Gayton McKenzie on Facebook Live said the councillors were being used by the DA.
“I don’t want people in the PA who are not willing to fight with us until 2024 and beyond.
“People who jump from one party and then to the next. You can leave the party any time, but don’t get paraded like slaves and get sold to the highest masters. I am not angry because you left, but because I see my brothers being used against me and being sold out for power,” he said.
Professor at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, Zwelinzima Ndevu, said it seemed there was unhappiness with how the PA was operating as a party.
“This is because there is an in-group closer to the leadership and well-looked after as demonstrated by a councillor from Joburg who was made a mayor in Beaufort West.
“This overlooks local competent councillors, which means they will be very unhappy with how decisions are taken in the party.
“The councillors who are joining the DA want to save their political careers before it is destroyed by the PA in its reckless actions,” Ndevu said.
Cape Times