'My love for the DA is not blind': Phumzile van Damme on her public critique of the party

Phumzile Van Damme does not subscribe to former US first lady Michelle Obama's “when they go low, we go high” motto, but instead, she says when people go low, she goes lower.

On Thursday, the DA MP took to Twitter to, yet again, declare that she has no immediate plans to leave the DA and that her critique of the party is not hatred.

Van Damme explained that her public disagreement with certain decisions taken by the party or some of its members was not an indication that she wanted to leave but that she cared.

“Where I see problems I will say, it has earned me both foes and fans alike. I care not of the opinions of foes, I am no sycophant and yes-man. It is because I still care that I speak,” said Van Damme.

She said most of the times she raised concerns with the party it was done internally, rather than in the public domain.

“When issues are brought to the public domain, where there are leaks designed to paint me in a negative light? Rest assured I will respond publicly. Always. Last year it was leak after leak & I kept quiet. This year, no more,” she said.

Touching on respect within the party, Van Damme said it has to be earned and suggested that when party members go low, she goes even lower.

“Respect is a two-way street. I’m a very simple person, back up off me and I’ll back up off you. Come for me and I come for you. I’m not saying I’m above reproach? No. Raise your concerns internally and I will extend you the same courtesy,” she said.

Van Damme also said she was not a victim in the DA. This after a social media user suggested that notable former party leaders like Lindiwe Mazibuko, Mmusi Maimane, Patricia de Lille, Herman Mashaba and John Moodley had the same strong stance on things they felt passionately about before their departures.

In a separate tweet, she slammed a troll who said only white people in the DA could “speak out on issues and survive”.