Former ActionSA Gauteng chairperson Bongani Baloyi has slapped the party with a resignation and described party leader Herman Mashaba as exhibiting a dictatorial hand in the running of the organisation.
Baloyi said he had resigned after a breakdown in trust between him and Mashaba. The two held opposing views on a number of issues, including the empowerment of provincial structures and regional leaders.
Tensions had become so bad between Baloyi and Mashaba that the two leaders’ campaigns in Gauteng would clash with each other.
Insiders told “The Star” that ActionSA had not had its elective conference, hence the party was still run centrally through its senate. Some saw the centralisation of power in the party as a form of dictatorship.
Baloyi told members of the media at a press briefing held in Sandton on Monday that he never thought that ideological differences between him and Mashaba would escalate to the point where he had to leave the party.
“I was told, chief, there are irreconcilable differences, and I do not trust you any longer. I have never sat down with him where he would say, I have these issues with you, and here is the process that we are going to follow,” Baloyi said.
Baloyi said he felt like he was set up for failure when Mashaba told him and party national chairperson Michael Beaumont to engage the ANC on the possibilities of a coalition. Baloyi and Beaumont started the talks when Mashaba was in Kenya on holiday. But Baloyi was tasked with drafting a proposal for the senate; the only problem was that Mashaba had informed him that if the document leaked, he would have to take responsibility for the leak. He said the entire situation became messy, and he was known as an ANC sympathiser.
“While all of that was happening, Mr Mashaba said you must take a proposal to senate, so I was then assigned to craft something with someone from the ANC. Mr Mashaba made it clear that if it leaks, he will leave it with me. So I said I cannot pursue that; rather, let’s inform senate that there are these developments,” he said.
Baloyi said he had raised concerns about the party being governed centrally, with Mashaba and other top leaders seemingly being the only decision-makers. His view was that all members who occupy leadership roles should be given the chance to lead in their respective positions.
“I am a firm believer in developing other leaders. For me, it was about building a formidable leadership in Gauteng that applies its mind to policies. Instructions are more important than individuals; you must devolve power to the instructions.”
Baloyi also raised concerns about the purging of party leaders in Tshwane and the manner in which accusations had been brought against people who were associated with the former regional leader of the party in Pretoria, Abel Tau.
“The issue of Tshwane bothered me because you cannot say dissolve a regional structure because so and so is dating so and so,” Baloyi said.
He said there were also concerns about Mashaba’s bodyguard, who had been spying on party members and soliciting bribes from some of them. The driver was allegedly using his proximity to Mashaba to extort money and favours from members.
ActionSA responded to Baloyi’s resignation with a short media statement saying that there were irreconcilable differences between the leadership of the party and Baloyi. The statement also said Baloyi had been offered the position of national spokesperson, which he turned down.