Mbali Ntuli leaving proves black people ‘don’t feel comfortable in DA’

With the loss of another prominent Democratic Alliance (DA) black leader, race and the preservation of the liberal ideology have emerged at the heart of the exodus from the party, according to political experts.

During a television interview, minutes after announcing her resignation via Twitter on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal DA MPL Mbali Ntuli remarked about “some people” in the DA she described as “fragile”.

Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast of the Nelson Mandela University’s department of history and political studies, said the statement pointed to race and the DA’s preservation of the liberal ideology at all costs.

Frank about having faced difficulties in the DA, Ntuli tweeted: “So many have played out in the public domain – also because our party is not immune to gossip.

I don’t wish to rehash any of the challenges, which are publicly known and have been raised internally on numerous occasions.

“I have been forthright about instances where the DA has erred in its treatment of its members and the negative culture that is fostered within the organisation – my opposition of which informed part of my year-long campaign for DA leader in 2020.”

Her departure adds to a string of resignations by prominent black leaders to hit the DA. These have included former MP Phumzile van Damme and former Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi.

Baloyi joined ActionSA, which is led by former DA Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba.

“During the television interview, Mbali spoke of some people she said were fragile – meaning racial fragility,” said Breakfast.

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“Race is at the heart of her departure. The DA has a history of those who have challenged the status quo having been shown the door.”

While factionalism was synonymous with the ANC, Breakfast said the DA was split into “the black caucus and the diehard white liberals who are trying to reclaim” it.

“There has been an ideological battle within the DA, which has been won by the liberals,” he said.

“Mbali was part of the black caucus – left with a broken heart and no option other than walking away from the party, like others before her have done.

“That is why Helen Zille was brought back as chair of the DA federal council and John Steenhuisen elected party leader.

“The DA is now focusing on its narrow white base – solely appealing to white liberals.”

Breakfast added that the reason the party had to let go of former leader Mmusi Maimane was because he started to introduce politics that were not aligned to the liberal ideology and policies.

“He spoke about whiteness and white privileges, upsetting some people.

“The remaining blacks in the DA will only survive if they conform to that ideological posture – they are playing along to make ends meet.”

University of South Africa political science professor Dirk Kotze said Ntuli’s resignation was “an indication of black people not feeling comfortable in the DA – an exit outflow”.

“She stood against Steenhuisen during a party leadership battle, which she lost. At that point not talking about resignation – following in the same pattern as Phumzile van Damme.”

The DA, he said, “has moved away from classical liberalism, now talking about free-market – a social form of democracy”.

– brians@citizen.co.za