Dan Plato leaves DA for Marius Fransman’s new Coloured-focused party
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Former Cape Town mayor and senior Democratic Alliance (DA) member Dan Plato has announced his resignation from the party and his decision to join the People’s Movement for Change (PMC), led by former ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman.
Fransman’s return to the political scene follows his expulsion from the ANC in 2016 over allegations of sexual harassment, for which he was found guilty by the party.
Plato: “The DA has moved away from its commitment to serving the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. The party seems to be stifling voices that do not align with a certain cabal, and critical outreach programmes designed to benefit the poor are being cancelled in the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government.”
The PMC made the announcement at a press briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday, where Plato expressed his belief that he could contribute his hard work and experience to the PMC. However, he also emphasized that he did not want to speak negatively about the DA.
Plato, who was a member of the Western Cape legislature until his resignation, has a history of political involvement, having served as the Community and Safety MEC in 2011.
Fransman welcomed Plato into the PMC, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Dan Plato to the PMC family. Our party stands as a home for the poor, working, and middle class, and we unapologetically advocate for a free and liberated Palestine.”
The DA confirmed Plato’s resignation, with provincial leader Tertuis Simmers noting, “The DA notes the resignation of Dan Plato as Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and member of the DA.”
The party also absorbed Sammy Claassen from the Patriotic Alliance, which also supports Isreal’s position over the Palestinian question, while the DA lost Ghaleb Cachalia recently over the same issue, though Cachalia has not aligned himself with any political organisation yet.
Fransman, a former ANC chairperson in the Western Cape, re-emerged from the political wilderness to launch the PMC. The party, which already boasts 95,000 members, aims to provide a platform for a national dialogue and address issues such as economic power abuse by banks and provincial governance.
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