Phumzile van Damme addresses the crowd at the Democratic Alliance (DA) manifesto launch at The Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 23 February 2019. Photo: AFP/Wikus De Wet
Phumzile van Damme addresses the crowd at the Democratic Alliance (DA) manifesto launch at The Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 23 February 2019. Photo: AFP/Wikus De Wet
Phumzile Van Damme has gone in HARD on the Democratic Alliance (DA), claiming that the party represented a ‘Trump-like cult’ when she quit her role with them last year.
Phumzile Van Damme slams ‘cult-like’ DA
The former shadow minister and influential political figure was speaking with Clement Manyathela on Radio 702 earlier this morning, and she left no stone unturned in her forensic analysis of the organisation.
During the hang-out, Van Damme explained that being both black and female ‘made life difficult’ inside the DA. She also noted that the atmosphere within the party changed when John Steenhuisen assumed the leadership.
Although Phumzile noted she did have a good relationship with Steenhuisen, she claimed he was at the mercy of ‘other influences’ that wanted to boot her out of the party. In effect, PVD believes the DA turned cult-like.
‘You had to be 100% obedient’
Towards the end of her tenure as a shadow minister, Phumzile Van Damme likened the DA to a ‘mini-Trump party’, that was trying to court voters who’d typically support the FF Plus…
“It was difficult to be black and female in DA. When I started doing well it was a wave of attacks. It was terrible . By being good, it made me a threat”
“John [Steenhuisen] and I had a good relationship. But he was under pressure from people who hated me because I represented a group that was more progressive, that was speaking on issues of race”
“But the DA changed when John was elected. It became a cult. You had to be 100% obedient, if not you are terrorised and sidelined. It became a mini-Trump party that spoke to FF plus type voters.”
Phumzile Van Damme teases return to politics
Van Damme now works as an anti-misinformation specialist. But will we ever see the charismatic former MP return to the benches of Parliament? Well, putting it quite simply, Phumzile needs more options first.
Phumzile Van Dam says she is not done with politics. “For now I want to live for me.” I ask what party she is likely to join when she returns, she says “currently there is Not a single party I can join” #TheCMShow
— Clement Manyathela (@TheRealClementM) January 13, 2022
