‘Clique of individuals’: Why Phumzile van Damme quit the DA

There has been a flood of reaction on social media over Phumzile van Damme’s resignation from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Parliament, which she announced on Thursday evening, 20 May 2021.

Van Damme has become the latest prominent black member to part ways with the DA, following the likes of Herman Mashaba and Mmusi Maimane.

On why she close to leave the official opposition party, Van Damme said it was because of a specific group of people – and recent events particularly point fingers to leader John Steenhuisen and some of his supporters, including DA Fedex chairperson Helen Zille and Chief Whip Natasha Mazzone.

“Nonetheless, in a climate of rumours and the need to create heroes and villains, my resignation as an MP is not because the DA is a so-called ‘racist party’ but because of a clique of individuals — and in order not to make the good women and men still in the DA suffer, I will not delve further into this,” Van Damme said.

Both she and Steenhuisen have not been on the friendliest of terms, most notably after he had “forced” a three-month sabbatical on her, back in December 2020. At the time, Van Damme had already taken some time off to deal with a chronic illness, but continued with her parliamentary duties.

Steenhuisen had said the decision to put her on sabbatical was a mutual one, which she flatly denied before accusing the party of trying to side-line her. The matter was however, resolved and it is believed that Van Damme never took the sabbatical.

DA accepts Phumzile van Damme’s resignation

The DA has reacted to Phumzile van Damme’s exit,saying it has received and accepted her resignation as a Member of Parliament and from the party.

“We extend our best wishes to Phumzile and thank her for her extraordinary service to the DA in Parliament and by extension, the country,” DA spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube in a statement.

“From taking on Bell Pottinger, fighting for an independent SABC and her tenure as DA National Spokesperson – Phumzile demonstrated her talent as a political communicator and a parliamentarian”

DA spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube

Reflecting on her tenure in the official opposition party, Van Damme said:

“During my seven years as the Shadow Minister of Communications, and a Parliamentary Whip, I had the pleasure of witnessing the fruits of my hard labour, when we took on the SABC, and turned the tide on it being a state broadcaster and set it on a path to be a public broadcaster. Going as far as travelling to London, I led the charge against Bell Pottinger’s sordid SA disinformation and state capture campaign, which eventually led to the fall of the decades old company”