Johannesburg - Former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba's efforts to create a new political party has been boosted with two former DA members joining its ranks.
The DA's former regional chairperson and caucus leader Funzi Ngobeni and former DA CEO Paul Boughey have decided to join Mashaba's mission.
Ngobeni had previously worked in the private sector before joining the DA in 2011. Mashaba said he will be leading a campaign to develop structures for the yet to be launched party.
"He will be leading our essential campaign to develop wall-to-wall structures on the ground in the communities, that will carry our offer to the front doors of South Africans. Funzi worked in the private sector and brings this experience and perspective into the work of growing our economy and creating jobs," Mashaba said in a statement issued on Monday.
Boughey had resigned from the DA in October last year ahead of the party's federal council meeting. It was reported that he had faced criticism in the party along with former leader Mmusi Maimane following the party's decreased support at the 2019 general elections.
"Paul brings immense strategic experience to the work of establishing the new political party. Both of these individuals are deeply committed to the project of building a new political alternative that places the people of South Africa at the centre of its work. They share my dedication to building a non-racial future for South Africa, through an absolute commitment to redress the legacy of our unjust past.
"Critically, they are devoted to building a new alternative that can actually unseat the ANC and improve the lives of the people of South Africa," he said.
The rumours around Mashaba's ambitions to create a new party started emerging last year following his resignation as major of Joburg. He stepped down in December. His resignation was announced in October where he explained that he had decided to leave the DA as the party's policies and direction no longer aligned with his.
He took issue with how the DA dealt with issue around and race and service delivery. The election of Helen Zille as the DA federal chairperson was also pointed out as a reason behind Mashaba's resignation.
Mashaba said his party, which he calls 'The People's Dialogue', will serve as an alternative home for South Africans who have lost hope in the ANC or alternative political parties. He said the party would be launched later this year, months before South Africans head to the polls for municipal elections.
"These developments, and the overwhelming response to the dialogue over the past three months, are evidence that the new political party to be launched later this year, will be a force capable of unseating the ANC and not satisfied with the role of the opposition," he said.