Zille responds as Bongani Baloyi calls DA ‘toxic’ after joining ActionSA

It was always bound to happen this way. A prominent member of the DA leaves the party and raises some concerns. Others within the party or those on social media then label that member “disgruntled”. That’s a tough claim to make this time though. Former Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi was a shining star in the DA. He made headlines for clean audit after clean audit and his age (he is still 34). After stepping down as mayor last year, he has now joined Herman Mashaba’s (another former DA mayor) ActionSA. In a new interview, he called parts of the party “toxic”. Helen Zille has now weighed in.

Bongani Baloyi, Helen Zille and the “toxic” DA?

In an interview with the SundayTimes, Baloyi claimed that the DA “became extremely toxic”. He also explained that he no longer had any belief in what the party was trying to achieve.

“I don’t believe in whatever the DA is trying to do at this point in time. I don’t have anything personal against Helen Zille, or John Steenhuisen for that matter. But the entire body of the DA and what it has become today is a space that’s foreign to me and I want to go elsewhere.”

Bongani Baloyi

The former Midvaal mayor also told the publication he stopped being a member of the DA roughly two years ago. Baloyi insists that comparing the DA from 2011 to 2017, it was a “fundamentally different” party.

Helen Zille has her say on Baloyi

When Bongani Baloyi left his mayoral position and announced that he was leaving the DA, Zille took to Twitter to claim that he was “leaving politics” and entering the private sector. Baloyi was quick to deny that claim.

And when ActionSA announced Baloyi had joined the party earlier this month, many were waiting for Zille’s reaction.

She’s finally given one. According to the DA Federal Council Chair, he will “regret” his move to the green party.

“I last saw Bongani late 2021 in Jozi, at his request, to discuss his plans for his future DA career trajectory. It was, as always, amicable and pleasant. I have never had one unpleasant interaction with Bongani. Quite the contrary. My prediction? I think he will regret his move.”

Zille said on Twitter