‘It became a bit of a cult’ — Phumzile Van Damme lifts the lid on her final months in the DA

16 January 2022 - 12:00
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Former MP Phumzile Van Damme says she 'represented a DA that was a little bit more progressive and in touch with SA'. File photo.
Former MP Phumzile Van Damme says she 'represented a DA that was a little bit more progressive and in touch with SA'. File photo.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER

“It became a bit of a cult"

These are the words of former DA MP Phumzile Van Damme, who lifted the lid on her final few months in the party.

Speaking on 702, Van Damme claimed the party became like “a mini-Donald Trump party” that spoke to Freedom Front Plus type of voters

“John and I had a good relationship. I reckon he was under a lot of pressure from people who disliked me in the DA, because I kind of represented a DA that was a little bit more progressive and more in touch with SA, and wanted the DA to speak about race,” said Van Damme.  

“The DA changed when he was elected. It became a bit of a cult. It was like if you are not 100% obedient, you’d be bullied, terrorised and sidelined.”

Van Damme said she and DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille have no beef, despite their public squabbles. 

“Helen and I don’t have beef. I have no beef with her. We’ve had disagreements and argued. We would meet for lunch, talk and be fine,” she said.

Attempts to get comment from the DA in response to Van Damme's remarks were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this article. Any update will be included once received.

Van Damme resigned as a DA MP last year, citing the influence of a “clique of individuals”. 

In her resignation letter, she said she would not be joining another political party and would not use her time to engage in a public spat with the DA.

“To be clear, I will not be joining another political party. Nor will I be using my time to launch attacks on the DA,” said Van Damme. 

She said her resignation was not linked to a perception that the DA had morphed into a “racist party”.

“I leave on my own terms, having made my own decision. Nonetheless, in a climate of rumours and the need to create heroes and villains, my resignation as an MP is not because the DA is a ‘racist party’ but because of a clique of individuals. In order not to make the good women and men still under the DA suffer, I will not delve further on this,” she said.


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