By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Midvaal Local Municipality mayor Bongani Baloyi has terminated his membership as a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA) after 14 years with the party.
Baloyi, who was lauded for his stellar record as the mayor of Midvaal in both DA and ANC circles, announced his resignation from the party on social media on Monday morning.
In his Twitter post, Baloyi said he was leaving on his own terms, with a clean track record in government and the party.
“Like that. I leave on my time and terms, with a clean track record in government and the party. Now it’s time for me to focus on exciting opportunities before me. Good luck to the friends, colleagues and leadership of the DA. We will meet somewhere,” he said.
“My journey with the DA ends today. It has been an amazing 14 years, which I will always be proud of, and I will remain [grateful] to the DA for their support and opportunities afforded to me. I leave out of my OWN agency. Not because I am being purge or any nonsense,” Baloyi said in another tweet.
Baloyi, who led the first municipality in Gauteng to be run by the DA and completed two terms in office, becomes the latest prominent black leader to leave the official opposition party after the departure of former DA MP Phumzile van Damme earlier this year.
The Midvaal Local Municipality in Meyerton, Gauteng, is one of the country’s top-performing municipalities.
In 2013, Baloyi, from the DA, became the youngest executive mayor in South Africa at just 26.
Since his tenure, Baloyi received seven consecutive clean audits, indicating the council’s stable and sound financial management principles.
Under Baloyi’s leadership, it went from being the 16th best-performing municipality in 2013 to the fifth best in the national rankings.
The DA wrote a brief statement which thanked Baloyi for having demonstrated the DA’s commitment to clean and efficient government that serves people as its top priority.
“We have noted that Bongani is pursuing other opportunities after a decade-long career in politics. We wish him well and throw our support fully behind him,”the party statement said.