The Ses’Khona People’s Movement will not be kicking out members who recently defected to the Democratic Alliance.
At a press conference yesterday, deputy president Unathi Mabengwana says while most of their members belong to the ANC, Ses’Khona is not a political party.
Last week, Ses’Khona’s secretary general Loyiso Nkohla and 500 others dumped the ANC to join the DA.
Mabengwana said Nkohla would remain a leader within Ses’Khona despite donning the blue of their archrivals.
He said: “In the view of Ses’Khona, the DA stands for the continual marginalisation of poor and black people in particular. We will not, however, out members who join the DA as long as they uphold the ideals of Ses’khona.”
Nkohla confirmed that he would remain.
“My work as secretary general will not be affected,” he says.
“I am not disgruntled or aggrieved, but I am and will remain a servant of the people.”
The group defected over unhappiness with the ANC’s ward candidate list for the upcoming elections on August 3.
Nkohla added: “The ANC asked Ses’Khona to mobilise people, but then they ignored our pleas for help.”
He expected “2000 more” Ses’Khona members to join the DA’s ranks soon.
Asked if he was promised anything to join the DA, he says: “I gained nothing except the ability to assist my people again.”
Ses’Khona president Andile Lili says he supports the decision made in a conference on Sunday.
“We will not throw away the people who still abide by the rules of Ses’Khona,” he said.