By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Democratic Alliance (DA) member Patricia Kopane has resigned from the party. Picture: Facebook.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has suffered yet another resignation of a black leader, this time former MP Patricia Kopane, who quit on Monday.
Kopane was the DA’s Free State leader between 2012 and 2020 and also a member of parliament (MP).
After 19 years with the party, Kopane said she no longer felt like she belongs in the DA anymore.
“The truth is that I no longer believe that the DA is the political vehicle that I joined in 2003. I do not feel that I belong in the DA or that I have space to make political contributions in my country.
“I harbour no ill-will to the DA and wish nothing but the best to the many good people who remain within the party,” Kopane said in a statement.
DA Free State leader Roy Jankielsohn confirmed that the party had received and accepted the resignation of Kopane.
“We thank Patricia for her service to the DA and the role that she played in Parliament,” said Jankielsohn.
ActionSA president Herman Mashaba said he phoned Kopane after she submitted her resignation.
“I have called her and personally signed her up as a member of the party and will set up a meeting with her to explore the open declaration and interest in joining ActionSA and forming a mutual relationship for the benefit of the people of South Africa,” he added.
There she will find former colleagues Trollip, Beaumont, Baloyi, Ngobeni, Tau, Moodey and probably many more.
It is now clear that ActionSA is by some margin the political home of choice for former DA representatives.
But there are two other interesting potential destinations. One is the One South Africa Movement, former DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s platform to assist independent candidates in elections.