The Democratic Alliance (DA) is facing intensifying scrutiny as fallout continues over the disqualification of Member of Parliament and national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau from its upcoming federal congress, with public reaction now adding to pressure on the party.
What began as an internal dispute over a letter of good financial standing has, by Monday, evolved into a broader controversy, drawing in political analysts and members of the public, particularly on social media platform X.
Khakhau announced over the weekend that she had been forced to withdraw from the race for deputy chairperson of the party’s federal council after failing to secure the required clearance. The DA maintains she did not meet internal election rules.
At the centre of the dispute is an alleged outstanding “tithe” payment of R4,250 from July last year. Khakhau has insisted the amount was settled promptly and that she is fully up to date.
“I mistakenly missed a payment in July… Within 24 hours, I paid R8,500… I have continued to pay monthly and do not owe the DA a cent,” she said.
Despite this, the DA’s Free State provincial executive committee declined to issue her the letter, and her appeal to the federal executive was unsuccessful.
DA federal congress spokesperson Nazley Sharif said the party had applied its rules.
“The DA applies rules for internal elections, and Khakhau did not meet the requirements to stand as a candidate,” Sharif said.
However, the explanation has done little to quell criticism, with political analyst Ricky Munyaradzi Mukonza warning that the issue risks damaging the party’s image.
“In politics, perception matters more than reality. This creates the impression that the DA puts up barriers that prevent black members from contesting leadership positions,” he said.
Public reaction on social media has further amplified the controversy, with some users questioning the consistency of the DA’s internal processes and raising concerns about fairness.
One user on X wrote:
“John Steenhuisen was notoriously in arrears with his monthly tithes for months, if not years, and no action was ever taken against him.
The DA is a party of insiders and outsiders. Sometimes they appoint you to do tasks – like spokesperson – and you can feel included. But you are never an insider.”
Another user expressed support for Khakhau, saying:
“Sorry Karabo. You are so assertive, so eloquent, decisive and have lots of potential. Don’t let your detractors within the party kill that energy. You can still advance your vision outside of DA. They did this to many black leaders.”
The controversy has also revived long-standing criticism of the DA’s handling of leadership diversity. The party has previously faced backlash over the departures of prominent black leaders such as Mmusi Maimane, Lindiwe Mazibuko and Herman Mashaba – figures widely viewed as rising stars at the time.
Critics argue that these patterns point to deeper structural challenges within the party, while the DA has consistently maintained it is committed to non-racialism and merit-based leadership.
With the federal congress just weeks away, the growing public reaction suggests the issue is no longer confined to internal party processes, but has become a broader reputational test for the DA at a critical moment in its leadership cycle.
