By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Action South Africa (SA) on Monday announced former Democratic Alliance (DA) provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango as its new KwaZulu-Natal chairperson.
Mncwango resigned from the DA, earlier this month to join ActionSA, citing a culture of bullying and undermining at his former party.
Making the announcement, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba and national chairperson Michael Beaumont said they were encouraged that people who left the DA for ActionSA were doing so for the right reasons.
Mashaba said on Monday that leaders like Mncwango’s would be important in the lead-up to the national elections, as ActionSA was sure to form part of a governing coalition afterwards.
He said, we will be a party that treats our coalition partners with the utmost respect because, without them, we will never achieve anything.
Mncwango said he was delighted to join ActionSA as the party’s vision was aligned with his own ambitions for South Africa.
“I chose to join ActionSA and Herman Mashaba because your vision is to bring South Africans together. I want to live in a country where women and children are safe when they walk in the streets,” he said.
Mncwango also took a veiled swipe at his former party, saying: “I could never be part of any party that seeks to divide our people. The narrative that politicians alone have solutions is wrong.
“We need to engage those that are experts in the industry, religious and community leaders.”
ActionSA’s provincial executive committee in KZN was disbanded in August following a flurry of resignations by its members.
Meanwhile DA on Monday said it will be taking ActionSA and Beaumont to court after the party accused it of trying to bribe one of its councillors.
DA KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson said ActionSA had misled the public and wrongfully accused DA leaders of committing a serious crime.
This comes after ActionSA said it would be laying charges against the DA.
It accused DA leaders of trying to bribe ActionSA ward councillor in Newcastle, Shandy Singh.
It said it has pictures of Singh meeting with DA leader John Steenhuisen, Helen Zille’s former chief of staff Ashor Sarupen, Macpherson, and DA KwaZulu-Natal provincial leader Francois Rogers.
Beaumont said the DA had offered Singh a bribe to leave ActionSA and fill the DA vacancy in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature after the resignation of its chief whip, Mncwango.