DA policy head Gwen Ngwenya's exit brings party's policies into question
Many on Twitter questioned the Democratic Alliance’s stance on transformation as its head of policy, Gwen Ngwenya, suddenly resigned.
TimesLive reported that Ngwenya resigned in a letter to DA leader Mmusi Maimane, accusing the party leadership of failing to support her portfolio financially and in terms of experienced staff.
“The party spends more on temporary billboards and other marketing than it does on developing a longer-lasting comprehensive policy blueprint for the country,” Ngwenya said.
In August 2018, DA leadership found itself in a public spat after Ngwenya said that Broad-based BEE had failed to empower the poor and to tackle unemployment, serving to only benefit politically connected elites.
Ngwenya’s statement sparked controversy, with DA leaders contradicting each other on what the party had agreed in terms of BB-BEE
Ngwenya’s resignation brought the DA’s policies into the spotlight:
Gwen Ngwenya must resign from the DA if she is principled. You cannot represent a party you do not believe in . If you do not agree with their policies, go to the corrupt ANC. Stop being holier than thou and arrogant .
— SolomonNdlovu5 (@SollyNdlovu55) January 25, 2019
In the resignation letter as Head of no-Policy, the DA’s Gwen Ngwenya says, “The bottom line is that I do not believe the DA takes policy seriously”. It’s quite obvious because the DA’s obsession is protect white privilege and white supremacy. Voters will reject them!
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) January 24, 2019
Some people are reading this Gwen Ngwenya resignation as a token black girl who has just been shown her place. For me it’s confirmation that her faction has lost the ‘ideological’ battle within the DA.
— Strange Fruit (@bubhezi) January 24, 2019
I personally sympathize with @GwenNgwenya. I’ve been there and I know how painful it is to discover that you were a token, never expected to think or “be in the know”; just to do what you are told and then to be treated like a “tall poppy” for any dissent.
— Phuti ya Ga-Seleka (@prue82) January 24, 2019
"The bottom line is that I do not believe the DA takes policy serious" - @GwenNgwenya's resignation letter.
— Daniël Eloff (@DJEloff) January 24, 2019
Summarizing what many DA supporters have been feeling for a while.
#GwenNgwenya If anything, Gwen Ngwenya's resignation affirms what many of us have always said about the blue party not having any substance behind its sound bites, save for its racial antagonism of the ruling party.
— Xhanti Mhlambiso (@XMhlambiso) January 24, 2019
So Gwen Ngwenya has confirmed what we have known all along. @Our_DA has no policy on Land, youth unemployment, BBBEE etc nothing NaDA!!!
— Love yours (@herbedie) January 24, 2019
So Gwen Ngwenya just admit her for party @Our_DA has no policy in place and some of you will still go out there to vote for them because they’re “ NOT “ as corrupt as @MYANC
— Z’nodaka (@_Dubani) January 24, 2019
‘Gwen’ Ngwenya came through to confirm what we already knew - DA is a policy-less organization.
— Buthelezi, Buyani S. (@BuyaniMD) January 24, 2019
Argue now! pic.twitter.com/NQbNM8oIVM