South Africa's ruling ANC loses 500 members to opposition

Ahead of local elections in August, South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is reporting of a mass switch by members of the ruling Africa National Congress (ANC).

A total of 500 ANC members moved in an official ceremony in Khayelitsha area of Cape Town. They were welcomed into the opposition fold by the Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lili.

A controversial former ANC councillor, Loyiso Nkohla of the Seskhona Peoples’ Rights Movement, could only endorese the DA but couldn’t join as yet because of some legal issues.

“We have heard that the DA will be welcoming people here in Khayelitsha‚ we are not sure but SesKhona secretary‚ Loyiso Nkohla‚ is being mentioned among those people who will be welcomed,” Lili is reported to have said.

HAPPENING NOW: 500 MYANC members joining Our_DA in Khayelitsha!

They want to #KeepMakingProgress in Cape Town! pic.twitter.com/cKMP49JC5w

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) June 23, 2016

The local polls in the rainbow nation would largely pit three main parties looking to dominate local governance. The ruling ANC would face the DA and also the militant Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The EFF is led by a former youth leader of ANC, Julius Malema.

The ruling party’s woes have largely been blamed on the political and legal hurdles that have bedeviled President Jacob Zuma. A court in Guateng is expected to rule on Friday morning about an appeal on a corruption case surrounding the president.