Anna Majavu
Anna Majavu
About 800 Western Cape farm workers have left the Democratic Alliance for the Congress of the People.
This announcement was made in Cape Town yesterday by Cope's Western Cape premier candidate Allan Boesak.
Holding up dozens of DA membership cards, Boesak welcomed the new members, while former DA branch leader Nonkosi Sofika said: "We left the ANC because they did nothing for us. But now we have also left the DA ... because the DA has never helped us against the boere."
DA spokesman Frits de Klerk said even if 800 DA members had quit, the DA was still on track to win Western Cape. "Cope uses events like these to mask the fact that they will only get third place in Western Cape," he said.
Boesak also announced that the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) had thrown its weight behind Cope.
This despite the fact that Icosa's controversial deputy secretary, the mayor of Beaufort West, Truman Prince, has already pledged his organisation's support for the ANC.
Cope's Onel de Beer downplayed this, saying: "Truman Prince needs the ANC vote to retain his seat as mayor ... the rest of his organisation will vote Cope."
But health MEC Marius Fransman claimed that not only Prince, but "Icosa members in at least five Western Cape towns would throw their weight behind the ANC".
Meanwhile, Boesak says former Cope member, serial party hopper Peter Marais decided "personal reward was more important than working for the people".
Boesak says 800 workers crossed over
Anna Majavu
Anna Majavu
About 800 Western Cape farm workers have left the Democratic Alliance for the Congress of the People.
This announcement was made in Cape Town yesterday by Cope's Western Cape premier candidate Allan Boesak.
Holding up dozens of DA membership cards, Boesak welcomed the new members, while former DA branch leader Nonkosi Sofika said: "We left the ANC because they did nothing for us. But now we have also left the DA ... because the DA has never helped us against the boere."
DA spokesman Frits de Klerk said even if 800 DA members had quit, the DA was still on track to win Western Cape. "Cope uses events like these to mask the fact that they will only get third place in Western Cape," he said.
Boesak also announced that the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) had thrown its weight behind Cope.
This despite the fact that Icosa's controversial deputy secretary, the mayor of Beaufort West, Truman Prince, has already pledged his organisation's support for the ANC.
Cope's Onel de Beer downplayed this, saying: "Truman Prince needs the ANC vote to retain his seat as mayor ... the rest of his organisation will vote Cope."
But health MEC Marius Fransman claimed that not only Prince, but "Icosa members in at least five Western Cape towns would throw their weight behind the ANC".
Meanwhile, Boesak says former Cope member, serial party hopper Peter Marais decided "personal reward was more important than working for the people".