Former Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Masizole Mnqasela is expected to launch a “new and refreshed” political party this week.
The former Legislature Speaker had previously been a prominent member of the Democratic Alliance (DA) for 21 years before he left the party when he had been accused of violating some party policies last month.
Mnqasela had been at loggerheads with the DA for months, with a number of court battles over his dismissal from political and government positions.
Mnqasela said he was prompted to start his own political party after he was approached by various community activists and leaders to create a “viable political alternative”.
He said he was honoured and excited to be at the head of this new movement.
“I decided to take up this new and refreshed mandate, and part ways with the DA, not only because of the denialist in the DA who denies the pains that still exist in our country that were caused by colonialism and apartheid, but also because South Africans are desperate for change. They are desperate for a viable alternative,” Mnqasela said.
Mnqasela stated that clearly the current status quo could no longer be tolerated as South Africans were frustrated with the direction the country was headed.
He said that millions of people, especially youth, have either never voted before or have ceased to do so because of the lies they have been fed by politicians for so many years.
“People are desperate for change and this new political party will provide the citizens of South Africa with the change we all need,” he said.
Mnqasela will launch his new political party at the Rocklands Civic Centre in Mitchells Plain in Cape Town on Saturday.
He said the Rocklands Civic Centre was chosen for the launch because this was where the establishment of the United Democratic Front (UDF) took place in 1983 which was the start of the largest political movement that united South Africans from all walks of life to fight against apartheid.