The Democratic Alliance (DA) has lost yet another high-profile leader after its chief whip in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, Zwakele Mncwango, resigned as a member of the provincial legislature (MPL).
Zwakele Mncwango steps down
Mncwango, who is the DA’s former leader in KZN, made the announcement on Wednesday morning. He is expected to step down from the legislature effective on 15 October 2022.
While Mncwango would continue to be a member of the DA, he tendered his resignation “with a heavy heart” saying he “did not come to this decision easily”.
“This decision is predicated on factors that I have pondered on over a period of time in terms of my role in politics.
“I entered politics for the sole purpose of serving the people of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa at large for their betterment and progress and to make this country the haven that we all desired it to be.
“I did not come to this decision easily. In reaching this decision I engaged in much soul-searching and reflection over a period of time and decided that I had to evaluate how much more of a contribution I could make going forward.
“In the process, I questioned whether or not the KZN legislature was the right place to continue to best serve the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” he said in a statement.
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Meeting with the DA
Mncwango said he met with DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers on Monday, and had a “lengthy discussion” with him about his future in politics and expressed his reasons for making such a decision.
“I thanked him for his support and guidance and his leadership.
“I have worked well with my party, especially my caucus having been the caucus leader previously, and also serving as the DA’s chief whip in the provincial legislature.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to my colleagues, both in the DA provincial caucus, and the party as a whole, for affording me the unique opportunity to serve the people of this great country.”
He said he would consider whether to remain in politics or further his academic studies or even venture into the corporate world should he decide to do so in the future.
In a short statement, Rodgers said the DA in KZN noted and accepted Mncwango’s resignation as MPL and welcomed his decision to remain a member of the party.
“The DA in KZN would like to thank Zwakele for his enormous contribution to the party as both the DA caucus leader in eThekwini and the provincial leader of the party in the province.
“The DA would like to wish Zwakele all the very best as he begins a new chapter in his personal journey.”
Recent DA resignations
Mncwango’s departure from the KZN legislature comes months after Nicole Graham resigned in June as the DA’s caucus leader and councillor in the eThekwini metro council.
Former DA mayor in Nelson Mandela Bay Athol Trollip also resigned from the party earlier this year, and joined ActionSA as its Eastern Cape chairperson.
Erstwhile DA youth leader Mbali Ntuli resigned in March from the party and as a member of the legislature in KwaZulu-Natal.
In August, the DA’s Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana resigned from the party and from the provincial legislature.
He was followed by prominent DA leader in the Free State, Patricia Kopane. Kopane cited political differences as the reason for leaving the party after nearly 20 years as a member.
In December last year, former Midvaal Local Municipality mayor Bongani Baloyi terminated his membership in the party after 14 years.
Baloyi joined Herman Mashaba’s party ActionSA, which was formed after Mashaba exited from the DA in 2019.
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