THE former DA provincial leader, Nqaba Bhanga, quit as a DA member and MPL on Friday, 1 November.
Nqaba, who is also the former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor, has been at loggerheads with the DA since June.
His departure follows a longstanding dispute with the DA that began in June when he accused Helen Zille of racism on Facebook.
Bhanga said: "Yes, I have resigned as a DA member and as the opposition leader in the legislature. My resignation as the MPL will be effective on 31 December.
"The DA wanted me to apologise to somebody. I refused because I believe in what I said. Even now, I'm not prepared to apologise to apologists particularly racial populist. I stand by my principles, and I have never compromised with the values of our struggle,"
He expressed that despite efforts to address concerns internally, he felt the situation became uncontrollable.
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"I believe in building a non-racial society, and I can assure you that I've worked with white people in the DA who believe in those values. I confronted the DA leaders internally, raising these issues. They know where I stand as I'm always raising these issues inside and outside, but now it has reached a level that is uncontrollable. It was an honour for me to learn and serve the people of South Africa and the Eastern Cape in different spheres of government and responsibilities. I'd like to express appreciation for the support I received from many progressive South Africans, activists, comrades, friends, and family for their support," Bhanga said.
In 2021, Bhanga survived a brutal DA chop after two people died in a horrific accident in Gqeberha.
The incident occurred after the Covid-19 curfew deadline, and he suffered injuries.
Both DA spokeswoman Georgina Feldtman and provincial chairman Andrew Whitfield failed to answer their cellphones and did not reply to WhatsApp messages sent to their phones.
