No laughing matter: Mamphela Ramphele and Helen Zille in good times. The Democratic Alliance, South Africa's largest opposition party, announced last night that Mamphela Ramphele will not be the party's presidential candidate in the national election. Only a week ago, Ramphele hailed her offer as the DA's presidential candidate and acceptance of it as "another astonishing moment in what we offer the people of South Africa, and once again the world". Not so. The media statement released last night states Ramphele "reneged on the agreement that she stand as the DA’s Presidential Candidate, and that Agang SA’s branches, members and volunteers be incorporated into the DA. ... The DA negotiated with Dr Ramphele in good faith. Indeed she is a long-time personal friend of mine and I sought to bring her into politics over many years. We have been through many false starts, but when Dr Ramphele insisted on Monday that we go public on Tuesday to announce her acceptance of our offer of the DA’s presidential candidacy, we accepted that she had finally made up her mind.By going back on the deal, again, just five days after it was announced, Dr Ramphele has demonstrated – once and for all – that she cannot be trusted to see any project through to its conclusion. This is a great pity."
DAgang: A very short engagement
DAgang: A very short engagement
DAgang: A very short engagement
No laughing matter: Mamphela Ramphele and Helen Zille in good times. The Democratic Alliance, South Africa's largest opposition party, announced last night that Mamphela Ramphele will not be the party's presidential candidate in the national election. Only a week ago, Ramphele hailed her offer as the DA's presidential candidate and acceptance of it as "another astonishing moment in what we offer the people of South Africa, and once again the world". Not so. The media statement released last night states Ramphele "reneged on the agreement that she stand as the DA’s Presidential Candidate, and that Agang SA’s branches, members and volunteers be incorporated into the DA. ... The DA negotiated with Dr Ramphele in good faith. Indeed she is a long-time personal friend of mine and I sought to bring her into politics over many years. We have been through many false starts, but when Dr Ramphele insisted on Monday that we go public on Tuesday to announce her acceptance of our offer of the DA’s presidential candidacy, we accepted that she had finally made up her mind.By going back on the deal, again, just five days after it was announced, Dr Ramphele has demonstrated – once and for all – that she cannot be trusted to see any project through to its conclusion. This is a great pity."