With reference to the Sunday Times article of January 30 2021 entitled “‘The DA became extremely toxic, that’s why I left,’ says Bongani Baloyi” that appeared both in print and online, Ashor Sarupen, deputy chair of the DA federal council, writes:
Bongani Baloyi remained an active and engaged member of the DA throughout his tenure in the party, and certainly after 2019 — which was stated in the Sunday Times as the year in which he supposedly left the party. He served on mayoral selection panels all through late 2021 and he campaigned in the 2021 election for the DA, both online as well as in person — including attending election events with the DA leadership.
Until his resignation in December 2021, Baloyi had been involved in constructive and positive discussions with the DA leadership about his post-mayoral political career, including a potential move to parliament.
Both when he left the DA and later joined ActionSA, a number of journalists tried to goad him into slagging off Helen Zille and the DA. He gave us short shrift and made it abundantly clear that his decision was not born out of bitterness or anger towards the DA. He maintained that he had amicable relations with the DA and its leadership. He said he had left on his own terms after a wonderful 10 years.
Then over the course of the week his tone suddenly changed. Perhaps ActionSA was demanding that he should “sing for his supper” if he wanted to be their premier candidate in 2024?
The Sunday Times pounced on that angle and ran a story that contradicted everything he had said up till then, without questioning for a moment why he had this sudden change of heart.
As conveyed by the Sunday Times, Baloyi’s sudden change of opinion had to do with a newly expressed gripe with the DA’s policy of nonracialism and opposition to BEE. This is ironic, as he was able to rise to the position of mayor of Midvaal as a consequence of the DA’s policy of nonracialism. Furthermore, as mayor, he implemented DA policy without quarrel in Midvaal.
The idea that he was a victim in the DA, as reported by the Sunday Times, is belied by the facts. He had access to all the highest policymaking structures of the party and never once expressed any objection to the policy positions the party was adopting.
His subsequent about-turn and newfound attacks on the party, after refusing to do so for weeks, should have been interrogated if the report was interested in getting to the facts and presenting fair and balanced news and comment.
• The Sunday Times is satisfied that last weekend’s report on Baloyi accurately reflects his interview with our journalist. We however regret that the DA was not given an opportunity to respond to the accusations he made as per the journalism code. - Editor
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