THE South African Music Promoter’s Association (Sampa) has slammed the Democratic Alliance (DA).
This after they expelled MP Tsepo Mhlongo, together with former Eastern Cape party leader Nqaba Bhanga, Northern Cape member of the provincial legislature, Grantham Steenkamp and Joburg Councillor Kabelo Thobejane from their parliamentary membership last Friday, 1 December.
The DA expelled Mhlongo after it found him guilty for allegedly plotting to defraud the party's electoral systems ahead of the 2024 national and provincial elections.
In a statement they released, they said they are not members of the DA.
“We are members of the Cultural and Creative Industry. Cde Tsepo Mhlongo is a critical voice of our industry. He's one of the few and most vocal members of the portfolio committee, who stands and fights for our issues,” the statement read.
They said that the DA is killing their voice.
“You are killing our voice if you take him out of that Sports, Arts and culture Portfolio Committee,” they said.
They said that they are not telling the DA what to do.
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“We are also not interested in the domestic affairs of the party (DA), but we do care about people who have our best interests at heart and honourable Mhlongo is one of them.
“As creative and cultural industries in SA, we need more soldiers in Parliament and in committees of Parliament fighting for us. We currently have only Tsepo (DA) and Eugene Mthethwa (EFF),” they said.
They said all others don't care about them.
“They don't think about us, don't mention us, don't fight for us. Taking Tsepo out of the battlefield means one important soldier is out for the cultural and creative industry,” he said.
“They took their rights and gave them to international tech companies to use for free without thinking twice. This is not good for us,” they said.
Director of communications for DA, Richard Newton said the DA is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct among its public representatives.
"Accordingly, the Federal Executive resolved to terminate the membership of Mr Mhlongo following all the necessary internal processes.
"This decision comes as a result of a comprehensive investigation into instances of misconduct, the findings of which were that he allegedly headed up a scheme to commit fraud in the DA's election systems," Newton alleged.
