Ziba Jiyane and party join the DA

Ziba Jiyane, president of the South African Democratic Congress (Sadeco), has joined the DA.

Jiyane and supporters of Sadeco joined the DA yesterday after resolving at the party’s federal council meeting on Monday to do so to “better pursue our vision of a stronger and consolidated democratic opposition”.

The party, which Jiyane says has a membership of 5 000, would cease to operate as Sadeco, but would continue to exist as a legal entity as it held a few local council seats.

Jiyane, a former national chairman of the IFP and founder of the National Democratic Convention, said he supported the DA as a champion of good governance and service delivery.

“The DA is making honest efforts to unite South Africans into a truly non-racial political home,” he said.

“It will provide a platform where we can continue to promote the kind of Christian democratic values and moral and family values Sadeco has believed form the basis of a successful liberal democracy.”

Sadeco councillors in eThekwini, Ingwe, Sisonke, Indwedwe, Umhlathuze, Ulundi, Hlabisa and Msinga would continue to serve their regions and would have dual membership with the DA.

DA federal chairman Wilmot James said the party celebrated Sadeco’s decision, and that Jiyane was a prominent national and provincial figure who had earned the respect of residents and the IFP Youth Brigade over the years.

The DA had staked a claim to the 804 260 votes the IFP received in the 2009 polls, and would grow “substantially”.

Political analyst Protas Madlala said Jiyane would not bring masses of supporters to the DA.

“Sadeco’s presence will help slightly in helping the DA say it is a non-racial party, but it will not add more zeroes to the DA’s vote count. Jiyane is coming to the party with only his jacket. If he had a following like (National Freedom Party leader) Zanele (KaMagwaza-Msibi) it would make a huge difference.”