DA Gauteng provincial leader John Moodey has in a tearful announcement resigned from the DA and has abandoned his leadership race for the party’s top position.
He said he will not be joining Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA, but is considering entering the corporate world.
He said the party isn’t a home to him anymore because it goes against his principles and who he is. “To stay on for the sake of earning a salary isn’t an option for me.”
“I can’t even sleep in a DA shirt now, these people dont know what Apartheid did to us,” Moodey said.
He was one of three party members set to battle it out for the party leader position, with KwaZulu-Natal MPL Mbali Ntuli and interim leader John Steenhuisen.
His sudden resignation follows those of former DA leader Mmusi Maimane and former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba last year.
Moodey also criticised chairperson of the party’s federal council, Helen Zille, over her tweets, and talked about a deliberate campaign which was started to get rid of then-DA leader Maimane.
“I’ve prided myself in contributing to the successes we’ve achieved in growing the DA in all race groups and taking the fight to the ANC right in their strongholds and stomping grounds, in standing against political intolerance and intimidation, making sure that we spread the DA message to every community and area, not only in Gauteng but across the length and breadth of South Africa.
“I have regrettably and after much soul searching reached the point where I am unable to defend these insensitive utterances and statements. The party’s lack of principle in failing to appropriately deal with redress in this most unequal society.”
Moodey also said: “If the party (DA) comes after me, which I know they will, I will expose more things”.
Meanwhile, the DA noted Moodey’s resignation and said it believes Moodey is making a mistake. It rejects that there was a witch-hunt against him.
This is a developing story which will be updated as soon as more information is available.
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