ANC in Tlokwe welcomed two councillors from the DA last week. ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said they welcome the councillors.

Bobedi Nimrod Fransman and Davie Schoeman were regarded as staunch members of the DA in Promosa location, Tlokwe. They have been with DA for the better of the time.

“We believe that their defection will strengthen the ANC in the area. We want to welcome them and we are very adamant that their move will diminish the DA’s chances. We have been saying that ANC does not have any competitor in the political arena. We are very adamant that come August 3, we will emerge victorious,” Mahumapelo said.

Fransman said: “DA is racist and I saw that long time ago. The DA leaders have been using us. Their caucus consists of most whites and they will take decisions beforehand without our contribution. They will then use us blacks as rubber stamp only.”

Schoeman shared the same sentiments. He added that things were not working out at DA.

“The party was not showing us any support. So it is an appropriate time for me to join the movement which is the ANC. I want to fix things while I am in the ANC because they know what our people need,” he said.

However the DA caucus leader in Tlokwe, Chris Landsberg refuted the accusations. He said his party will never allow the existence of racism.

“We are not staggered their defection from DA. Their move to ANC will not affect our reparations for upcoming local government elections. We are almost in a situation where we can say is a good riddance. Generally things like these happen during local government elections. The DA will not be distracted from its mission to take over the City of Tlokwe,” Landsberg said.

Political analyst from North West University in Potchefstroom, Andre Duvenhage said the defection of DA councillors may affect the DA’s chances in quest to win Tlokwe.

“Tlokwe is one of the hotly-contested metro municipalities. Even though DA claims that their councillors’ defection will not affect them, I believe it will. Internal squabble sometimes give the oppositions edge. However I still believe that the amalgamation of Ventersdorp and Tlokwe will also work into ANC’s favour,” Duvenhage said.

-TDN

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