ActionSA's eThekwini regional chairperson quits, says it's 'just like the ANC'

ActionSA’s interim eThekwini regional chairperson Busisiwe Ntshingila has quit, claiming the opposition party is no different from the ANC.

In her resignation letter, Ntshingila likened ActionSA to the ruling party, saying they were different sides of the same coin.

“ActionSA is a far cry from what this country needs. At face value they seem like they have potential but it seems that, just like ANC, there are handlers and agendas that are well hidden and ultimately they will serve self interest and not the needs of the people that actually voted for them,” she said.

“With each passing day I realise that ActionSA is no different to the ruling party. Protecting self interest and cadre deployment are worded differently but ultimately implemented identically.”

She said she had been battling with this decision for over six months before realising ActionSA “could not” fix the problems of the country.

“During the peoples dialogue I believed that ActionSA was the alternative for the people of SA but after months of serving on the different executive structures, and currently as I serve as the interim chairperson of eThekwini region, I am despondent and convinced that ActionSA is not what it presents itself to be and cannot fix this country,” she said.

“We talk a good game but we don’t walk the talk and I cannot continue to be part of this charade.”

“Any political party that truly aims to fix SA has to have an understanding of the complex and diverse nature of this beautiful country and they cannot be tunnel-minded or arrogant in their approach to solutions. We need leaders that will act decisively and earnestly.”

Micheal Beaumont, ActionSA chairperson, confirmed receipt of Ntshingila’s resignation letter.

“There is no similarity between ActionSA and the ANC, and the suggestion by Ms Ntshingila is made falsely with the intention of damaging the party. There is no party in SA that offers greater difference to the ANC than ActionSA,” he said.

“ActionSA is a large and rapidly growing organisation. We respect people’s rights to join and leave and we do so with the comfort that many more people are joining our party.”

This follows hot on the heels of the resignation of uThukela regional chairperson Mdumiseni Mlangeni three weeks ago.

Mlangeni also left under a dark cloud, saying he was disenchanted by the party’s leadership.

“After much reflection, I have realised that ActionSA is not what it presents itself to be. On numerous occasions I have tried in earnest to caution our senate members and KZN PEC members about their lack of empathy, consideration and understanding to the ordinary man on the ground,” he said.

In a scathing resignation letter dated July 27, Mlangeni also cited “racism, classism and elitism” in the party.

“Though I am a farmer and belong to the 1% of privileged South Africans, I am not blind to the plight of those who are less fortunate than I am. This is what propelled me to join ActionSA. I also joined because as a mixed-race individual I have never been coloured enough or black enough for all the multiple organisations and I thought that ActionSA with its nonracial values would be a home. However I have been greeted with adverse racism, classism and elitism.”

TimesLIVE