Former DA Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi finds new political home in ActionSA
ActionSA has announced former Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi as the party’s latest member to defect from the DA.
Baloyi is set to serve in the party’s senate, its highest decision-making body, party leadership announced at a media briefing on Monday.
The 35-year-old joined ActionSA after announcing his departure from the DA in December.
He served two terms as a mayor and is touted to be Gauteng premier when the country goes into provincial and national elections in 2024.
Party leader Herman Mashaba admitted to approaching the “experienced, and ethical” Baloyi as early as 2020, and again in October 2021 when the pair went for lunch.
Baloyi, however, asked to be allowed to finish his term of office and “make the people of Midvaal proud”, but committed to speaking at a later stage.
It was weeks after concluding his term that Baloyi made a call to Mashaba, saying he was ready to speak. This after declining a number of other offers which he said were not in line with his vision for the country.
“One of the features that impressed me about Baloyi was my engagements with him when I launched ActionSA, and I sought to bring him into the party. He remained committed to see out his term of office for the people of Midvaal, even if he was politically willing, and he wanted to leave with dignity,” said Mashaba.
Asked why he had joined the party now, Baloyi responded it was “perfect timing” after concluding his term. He dismissed rumours that he was pushed out.
“I left on my accord, when I was still wanted, and there is no beef at all,” he said.
Baloyi’s joining ActionSA does not take place in a vacuum. The November 1 local government elections were instrumental to high-ranking politicians joining the party, according to Mashaba.
“The results have positioned the party such that we have been overwhelmed by South Africans joining our ranks. I am informed our party membership doubled in the week after the elections.”
TimesLIVE