GQEBERHA – Several former members and leaders of ActionSA in Nelson Mandela Bay have joined the Democratic Alliance (DA), a move that both parties say reflects shifting political dynamics ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
The DA in the Eastern Cape announced this week that it had welcomed a number of former ActionSA members, including regional leaders, into its ranks.
According to the DA, the new members include ActionSA Nelson Mandela Bay regional chairperson Sherwin Nel, former provincial spokesperson Luzuko Gedze and ActionSA Kariega sub-regional chairperson Sinclair Baatjies.
DA Eastern Cape provincial leader Andrew Whitfield said the move strengthens the party’s prospects in the metro.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has welcomed several former leading figures and members of ActionSA in Nelson Mandela Bay to the party,” Whitfield said.
The announcement was made alongside DA Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Yusuf Cassim, DA Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal and DA Winterhoek constituency leader Horatio Hendricks.
“Our newest members believe that uniting behind a growing DA is the only way to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again,” he said.
“They recognise the DA’s strong track record of excellent service delivery where we govern and our proven ability to deliver meaningful change for all.”
Whitfield added that the party believes the additions will strengthen its efforts to regain control of the metro.
“Under the DA banner, we are confident that we can win Nelson Mandela Bay in 2026 and restore effective governance and excellent service delivery.”
He further said the party remains open to members of other organisations who share its values.
“The DA in the Eastern Cape will continue to serve as a political home for members of other parties who share our values and principles and we will gladly welcome them into our ranks.”
ActionSA chief whip in the National Assembly and former Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor, Athol Trollip, acknowledged that some individuals had left the party, but said such shifts are not unusual in politics.
“ActionSA is disappointed that recently current members have left the organisation,” Trollip commented.
“Essentially politics is about making choices, people join political parties voluntarily or freely and leave them voluntarily or freely and in this case some of the members left ActionSA at the conclusion of the last election, perhaps disappointed that they themselves didn’t get elected and others have left on the eve of this election, the local government election.”
Trollip said the party had taken a strategic decision about where it would contest elections.
“We as a party have said we will only contest municipalities where there are existing vibrant membership and branch structures. Now we have been battling to achieve that in Nelson Mandela Bay so maybe people have identified greener pastures and we wish them well.”
He added that building a new political party was a challenging process.
“What we as ActionSA are trying to do is very difficult, where a new political organisation trying to offer voters something different from the existing political role players that have been around for the last 30 years and have not been able to deliver on the full potential that this country holds.”
“So, people will come and go and that is unfortunate, but we are determined to stay the course and to give the electorate something different to vote for.”
Trollip also suggested that not all individuals who joined the DA were currently active ActionSA members.
“Some of the members paraded left ActionSA for other political formations after the last election so are technically not current members but former members. Others might have been supporters but aren’t registered ActionSA members,” he said.
“Having said that though it is unfortunate.”
He said political shifts are common in the period leading up to elections.
“It’s that season before elections where people make determinations about where they think the grass is greener for their prospects.”
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