By Tamlyn Canham
Former DA MP, Phumzile van Damme, has shed some light on why she quit. Van Damme made headlines in May when she announced that she was resigning as a Member of Parliament.
“My resignation as an MP is not because the DA is a so-called ‘racist party’ but because of a clique of individuals – and in order to not make the good women and men still in the DA suffer, I will not delve into this,” she said at the time.
Van Damme has now revealed the “individuals” who contributed to her decision. She pointed fingers at DA leader John Steenhuisen, and Natasha Mazzone and her husband Kevin Mileham.
“To make it clear: Steenhuisen & Mazzone (& her husband) are the reasons I quit. I could not exist in the same space as them. I could not have my name associated with them. They will be the death of the DA. If the party does not do well in this election, I hope – guillotine,” she tweeted.
To make it clear: Steenhuisen & Mazzone (& her husband) are the reasons I quit. I could not exist in the same space as them. I could not have my name associated with them. They will be the death of the DA. If the party does not do well in this election, I hope – guillotine.
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) October 4, 2021
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Fought many battles
Van Damme accused Mileham of fighting dirty when she was accused of punching a man at the V&A Waterfront in 2019 following an alleged racial incident.
She has always maintained that she punched him in self-defence after the man threatened her with violence. The DA investigated the matter. Van Damme was later cleared.
“You know, I fought many battles in the DA and I won every single one. Kevin Mileham, the prosecutor of the V & A matter told me “I fight dirty” ahead of the V&A matter. I said “I fight hard.” And fight dirty he did. And fight hard I did. He lost. Good triumphs over evil.”
You know, I fought many battles in the DA and I won every single one. Kevin Mileham, the prosecutor of the V & A matter told me "I fight dirty" ahead of the V&A matter. I said "I fight hard." And fight dirty he did. And fight hard I did. He lost. Good triumphs over evil.
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) October 4, 2021
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‘John Steenhuisen tried to get rid of me’
Van Damme says Steenhuisen was the reason why the V&A disciplinary hearing went ahead. She says Steenhuisen “tried so hard” to get rid of her.
“He was the one who insisted the V & A disciplinary hearing go ahead despite the first FLC report finding no grounds for one.”
She added in another tweet: “Then on the day I resigned. In comes Natasha Mazzone. She who screams in meetings “YOU DO NOT WANT TO MAKE AN ENEMY OUT OF ME” telling me to not hold Facebook accountable. I stopped and thought why in the hell am I fighting with idiots for my space in the DA? It’s beneath me.”
Then on the day I resigned. In comes Natasha Mazzone. She who screams in meetings “YOU DO NOT WANT TO MAKE AN ENEMY OUT OF ME” telling me to not hold Facebook accountable. I stopped and thought why in the hell am I fighting with idiots for my space in the DA? It’s beneath me.
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) October 4, 2021
Several social media users applauded van Damme for speaking out.
“Lionesses of our time, the voice of the marginalized, I said it once and still maintaining it, her spirit and resilience are of umama Winnie. The man that’s married to Phumzile is so blessed,” one Twitter user wrote.
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