Former Cape Town Mayor and a veteran DA politician, Dan Plato, sent shock waves through the political arena when he resigned from the party to join ex-ANC leader Marius Fransman’s People’s Movement for Change (PMC) party.
Plato made the surprise announcement in the Waves Theatre Cafe in Long Street, during a press conference on Tuesday, joined by Fransman. The reason for his resignation from the DA was not made clear, however, he put his confidence in his “new political home”.
Plato says: “I have officially resigned from the Democratic Alliance as a member, and I have decided to join PMC. The DA has been good to me, however, this is a case of trying to do something different and moving on.”
Plato previously served as Community Safety MEC and Cape Town Mayor, and in December 2021, took up Bonginkosi Madikizela’s seat in the legislature. Plato dismissed speculation that he was leaving the DA because of racial politics.
Fransman launched PMC, which he claimed has 95 000 members, last month. It draws on the ranks of former politicians, religious leaders, civil society and cultural leaders.
Fransman says: “We are delighted to welcome Dan Plato to the PMC family. Our party stands as a home for the poor, working and middle class, and we unapologetically advocate for a free and liberated Palestine.”
In a short statement, DA Western Cape leader, Tertuis Simmers, said: “The DA notes the resignation of Dan Plato as member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and member of the DA. We thank him for his years of service, both to the DA and at different levels of government. We wish him well in his endeavours.”