'Just buy Panado' — inside Bongani Baloyi & DA MP Ghaleb Cachalia's spicy exchange over ActionSA move

Newly-appointed ActionSA member Bongani Baloyi has taken a subtle shot at DA MP Ghaleb Cachalia for his opinion on Baloyi's new political home.

Baloyi, who left the DA in December, was announced as a member of ActionSA's senate, the party’s highest decision-making body, on Monday.

The announcement came as a surprise to some on social media, with one user saying it was “massive”.

Weighing in on tweet, Cachalia suggested that ActionSA was “a compelling alternative political proposition for opportunists”.

In his response, Baloyi joked that Cachalia was in “pain” and needed to “buy Panado” to heal.

Former DA MP Phumzile Van Damme wished Baloyi well, saying he should not take nonsense.

“Bangak’thseli ish** [Don't let them tell you s**t]. Ngeke uzwe ngabo, eyakho lempilo [Don't let them tell you otherwise, this in your own life]. Now go forth and make the pots to do the things. Proud of you,” she said.

Speaking during a media briefing this week, the former Midvaal local municipality mayor called on politicians and citizens to work together for the future of SA.

“Me joining ActionSA is not out of anger, but because of hope that lies ahead of me. I believe this is the actual realignment of our politics, where South Africans of all capabilities and of all diversity, need to join hands and work together. We have got one enemy, and that enemy is the ANC. Our country needs to be rescued,” said Baloyi.

He said his move to ActionSA has not affected the government or transition to new leadership in Midvaal.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba hailed Baloyi's move.

“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,” said Mashaba.

“He remained committed to seeing out his term of office for the people of Midvaal and wanted to leave with dignity.

“For ActionSA to grow we will need more leaders with their own voices bringing the kind of skills, experience, youthfulness and excellence that Baloyi epitomises.”