Phumzile van Damme says she's not leaving the DA ... 'Exit for what? I'm not a coward'

Phumzile van Damme has made it clear she is not leaving the DA after she broke her silence about the latest controversial tweets shared by Helen Zille.

The shadow communications minister, who initially remained mum amid the drama, trended on Twitter after she said she does not agree with Zille, who recently said SA now has more racist laws than it did under apartheid.

Van Damme's stance received mixed responses, as some commended her for speaking up while some said she must follow in the footsteps of former DA leader Mmusi Maimane and resign.

Responding to Twitter user @Neli_Ngqulana, who said why she remains in the DA even though she “keeps getting” offended by the perceived racism. Van Damme asked if running away was the solution.

On Wednesday, TimesLIVE reported that two DA public representatives had filed formal complaints against Zille over her tweets.

The DA's Gauteng leader John Moodey backed calls for an internal investigation, saying Zille had behaved in a manner unbecoming of a leader of the DA.