Bongani Baloyi: I have never seen myself as anybody's victim

New ActionSA member Bongani Baloyi talks about the party and why he left the Democratic Alliance.

New member of ActionSA Bongani Baloyi says he decided to join the party in January following his resignation from the Democratic Alliance (DA) in December.

The former mayor of Midvaal served the community for two terms and says he left on his terms.

Speaking to Clement Manyathela, Baloyi says when he left the DA many were shocked and he only consulted his family.

He says he will be running to be the premier of Gauteng in 2024.

I am going to throw my hat in and others will compete. I am very ready to compete with everybody so it's going to happen. I think what one has done in the municipality, one has acquired the necessary experience, the competence, the understanding of the intricacies of how government functions.

Bongani Baloyi, Member - ActionSA

Without getting into a tiff with the DA, my view is that the DA will find themselves on difficult grounds, I mean we've seen the most recent votes and the numbers don't lie.

Bongani Baloyi, Member - ActionSA

Baloyi says he decided two years ago that he won't stand as a public representative for the DA and that he will exit the party.

He says he now believes in something else.

In politics, you will experience a difference of views; how people treat you and how you experience different things. There were various battles that one got into in the DA insofar as the articulation of policy at a particular time and the articulation of personal statements that leaders made that were not contrary to want the party stood for.

Bongani Baloyi, Member - ActionSA

I've also engaged in a struggle in the DA, lost many battles it got difficult at times but it's politics, you must have a thick skin for this thing and I'm nobody's victim. I have never seen myself as anybody's victim.

Bongani Baloyi, Member - ActionSA

He adds that he has a conjugal relationship with DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille and partly leader John Steenhuisen.

Listen to the full interview below:

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