How big a blow to ANC is caucus leader Banele Majingo’s defection to DA?
An ANC councillor for more than a decade, Banele Majingo had been leading the opposition caucus in the Cape Town city council for almost three years.
Former ANC councillor in the Cape Town city council, Banele Majingo, announced he was joining the DA on 27 March 2025. Picture: @WesternCapeDA/X
CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Lwazi Phakade, African National Congress caucus spokesperson for the City of Cape Town, about the defection of leader Banele Majingo to the Democratic Alliance.
Listen below:
The ANC lost their Cape Town caucus leader Banele Majingoas to the DA on Thursday.
An ANC councillor for more than a decade, Majingoas announced he was jumping ship. He had been leading the opposition caucus in the council for almost three years.
In a resignation video, Majingo said he had taken the decision with a heavy heart, but the time had come for him to serve South Africa through the DA.
"After careful consideration, I have come to realise that my personal values and principles are now more aligned with those of the Democratic Alliance," he explained.
The DA has called the move 'historic', but the ANC's Lwazi Phakade disagrees.
"It is indeed a huge blow for the ANC in the City of Cape Town caucus, but we are really not thinking that this is history."
- Lwazi Phakade, ANC caucus spokesperson - Cape Town
"We know that previously, at this time when elections are close, the DA usually lands some of the ANC councillors."
- Lwazi Phakade, ANC caucus spokesperson - City of Cape Town
Phakade says Majingo's deflection is likely less to do with Majingo's personal values and more do to with his personal interests.
"It has to do with personal interests and looking out for his own personal interests heading into the 2025 local government elections."
- Lwazi Phakade, ANC caucus spokesperson - City of Cape Town
"Perhaps he saw that he was unlikely to make it onto the list back into caucus the following year."
- Lwazi Phakade, ANC caucus spokesperson - City of Cape Town
Following his announcement, the ANC responded by suggesting Majingo’s deflection was in some way connected to his name having appeared on the Motlanthe report.
The report followed concerns raised around the ANC's provincial executive committee in the Western Cape and its conflict of interest in dealing with complaints linked to the national lists for party representatives in parliament and the provincial legislature.
Scroll up to listen to the interview.