There was more to opposition Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane’s resignation from his party this week than meets the eye, another opposition leader said on Friday.
Opposition United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa said he never expected that Maimane “would be treated in the manner he has been by his own party, given the role he has played.”
“Being a young fellow, he managed to build that political party and bring all nationalities of this country to be under one roof. But politics are politics and I am sure we have not been told the truth as to what could be the reason. Why this haste?” Holomisa said.
Maimane resigned as leader of the official opposition party on Wednesday, and on Thursday left his parliamentary seat and his DA party membership for good, complaining of the misguided racist policies in the white-dominated organisation.
His resignation followed that of Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba from office and from the DA.
Federal chairperson of the DA, Athol Trollip, also announced his resignation from the position on Wednesday in solidarity with Maimane.
Holomisa said despite these events, the role of opposition parties was still important in moving the country forward.
“Had it not been for the opposition parties in this country in the last nine years, South Africa would have been in a worst situation,” he said, adding that former president Jacob Zuma’s removal from power was due to the opposition relentless probing of his corrupt reign.
NM/jn/APA