The family of a Limpopo ANC ward councillor is at the centre of a political storm after his wife defected to the DA during election fever.
Tinyiko Baloyi, who is the wife of ANC ward councillor Lazarus Baloyi, caused a stir when she dumped the ANC and joined the DA.
Her decision has apparently ruffled feathers in the ruling party, with some questioning her husband's loyalty.
Tinyiko joined her husband's former comrades, who include former secretary Duncan Mashila, who led a move away from the ANC to the DA.
Tinyiko said she joined the ANC at the age of 13, but had reached the end of her tether.
"Much as I worked hard for the organisation, we were persecuted by our own comrades and I had to take the decision after I realised that I had reached a cul-de-sac and no one appreciated what we did," she said.
She said matters came to a head when her comrades in the ANC organised a march against her husband and turned a blind eye on community matters like corruption, that included investing public funds in the controversial VBS bank.
She said her move didn't put her husband's job or political ambitions on the line.
"I met Baloyi in the ANC and we are adults and we shall remain a couple, but will follow different parties," she said.
ANC ward councillor's wife joins rival DA
The family of a Limpopo ANC ward councillor is at the centre of a political storm after his wife defected to the DA during election fever.
Tinyiko Baloyi, who is the wife of ANC ward councillor Lazarus Baloyi, caused a stir when she dumped the ANC and joined the DA.
Her decision has apparently ruffled feathers in the ruling party, with some questioning her husband's loyalty.
Tinyiko joined her husband's former comrades, who include former secretary Duncan Mashila, who led a move away from the ANC to the DA.
Tinyiko said she joined the ANC at the age of 13, but had reached the end of her tether.
"Much as I worked hard for the organisation, we were persecuted by our own comrades and I had to take the decision after I realised that I had reached a cul-de-sac and no one appreciated what we did," she said.
She said matters came to a head when her comrades in the ANC organised a march against her husband and turned a blind eye on community matters like corruption, that included investing public funds in the controversial VBS bank.
She said her move didn't put her husband's job or political ambitions on the line.
"I met Baloyi in the ANC and we are adults and we shall remain a couple, but will follow different parties," she said.
She said she raised the matter in the family, but although her husband did not accede to what she said, their children also said they were fed up with the ANC.
Lazarus confirmed that as a family they were following different parties. "I am in the ANC and no one will force me to leave."
He said he was not the only one whose wife is following a different party. "She says she was tortured by my maltreatment by my comrades and I have come to accept that I married her to be my wife and in South Africa the constitution allowed her to choose her political home," he said.
Not long ago, ANC councillors voted with the opposition to have Lazarus removed as councillor, but the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs did not ratify the decision.
He said his colleague's actions were caused by the fact that he supported Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma during the 2017 ANC elective conference.
ANC regional secretary Anderson Mudunungu did not respond to requests for comment. - Mukurukuru Media