The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape expressed surprise over the resignation of the party’s media director on Sunday.
”Philip Grobler’s decision to leave the Democratic Alliance has certainly taken me by surprise,” the leader of the DA in the Western Cape’s Legislature, Helen Zille, said in a statement.
She said Grobler had been committed to the DA’s vision that South Africa needed stronger opposition and not a stronger government.
”If he has now chosen to join the NNP it would be he that has lost his way, not the DA.”
Grobler’s sudden change of analysis showed her that there was ”more to this than meets the eye”, she said. Grobler announced his defection from the DA to the NNP at a media conference at Western Cape premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk’s official residence, Leewenhof, earlier on Sunday.
Grobler said he was now pledging his support to the ”constructive approach of participatory government”.
The ”situation” in the DA had become increasingly intolerable, he said.
”Each time I looked over my shoulder, I saw the political incompetence of the provincial leader of the DA in the Western Cape, Mr Gerald Morkel.”
Grobler said his reasons for leaving the DA included ”the total lack of leadership and vision” in the DA, which created an environment of destructive infighting”.
Van Schalkwyk said Grobler’s future role in the NNP would be discussed with him.
”The NNP’s doors are always open for any person who shares our vision for the new South Africa, and who wants to be a part of the team building a stable and prosperous country,” he said. – Sapa