KGOSHI Letsiri Phaahla has “dumped” ActionSA for uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).
The party announced his resignation on Friday, 8 March.
ActionSA chairman Michael Beaumont said they were informed of Phaahla’s decision to leave on Thursday, 7 March.
The head of the Phaahla Makadikwe Traditional Council in Sekhukhune cited resources-related challenges in his resignation letter.
“ActionSA has accepted the resignation and terminated the membership of its Limpopo provincial chairperson, Letsiri Phaahla, following learning of his joining MK,” said Beaumont.
He said the party later found out that Phaahla had allegedly been negotiating his membership of MK for some time while praising the virtues of ActionSA in the campaign.
“It's believed from credible sources that Phaahla was offered considerable financial inducement to join MK. This is the kind of patronage politics that has no place in ActionSA,” claimed Beaumont.
He said it was unfortunate that patronage politics was so common in Mzansi, and people were ready to join the highest bidder.
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He said ActionSA welcomed the departure of such "compromised" leaders in its ranks before the elections, and before they could sit in a legislature where people abuse the role of public servants for their own ends.
Beaumont said: “Phaahla’s move is an indictment upon himself. Any person who leaves ActionSA to join MK clearly has been ideologically confused and, clearly, has a casual commitment to the notion of ethical leadership if they align with the values of former president Jacob Zuma.”
Phaahla is the former chairman of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa in Limpopo.
ActionSA president Herman Mashaba announced him in November as the party’s premier candidate.
He became party chairman following the resignation of Sello Lediga, who decided to focus on his writing career.
Mashaba said during the announcement: “Limpopo, in particular, being one of the biggest provinces with a voter population coming from rural areas makes Kgosi Phaahla an ideal candidate to ensure that our rural communities are directly involved through their genuine leaders.”
Victor Mothemela will take over as chairman.
He has served as party’s head of campaigns in Limpopo since 2022.
Daily Sun has reached out to Phaahla but his phone rang unanswered, and he has not returned our message.
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