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DA Phumzile Van Damme MP is up in arms on Twitter against her own party, after she was allegedly granted a sabbatical without requesting it.
Van Damme took to Twitter on Friday afternoon and revealed that the party’s leader, John Steenhuisen, had given her a year off without her asking.
Van Damme declined to comment when approached by TimesLIVE.
“I have been informed by the Federal Leader of the DA @jsteenhuisen granting me a sabbatical year. I did not request it. It just informed me. I could walk away, but I choose to stay and challenge him ABOVE THE BEGINNING. .
“I’ve been open about being sick. I’ve been on sick leave for 3 months, until December 15 [December]. I informed Chief Whip, I would still focus on my committee work while on sick leave. I told him about my illness even though I didn’t need it. For what is being used against me to marginalize me. K,Van Damme tweeted.
“Did I drop the ball while I was sick? No. Even when I was sick, as I do when I’m well, did I outgrow many of my colleagues? Yes. I didn’t ask for a sabbatical. I determine my health. My doctors determine my health. Not my employer“she added.
Van Damme is no stranger to Twitter wars with the leadership of her own party. Earlier this year, he took on federal council president Helen Zille after her controversial apartheid tweets.
The tweets come as Steenhuisen is finalizing talks on the party’s shadow cabinet shake-up, where Van Damme served as shadow communications minister.
DA experts said Steenhuisen held individual talks with shadow ministers two weeks ago and was expected to announce his new cabinet last week, but that did not happen.
The district attorney, however, announced Siviwe Gwarube as the party’s new spokesperson to replace Solly Malatsi.
Steenhuisen, through his spokesperson, confirmed that he had given Van Damme a sabbatical.
“I had to make changes to my shadow cabinet after my election, having inherited a shadow cabinet that I did not name. It is the leader’s prerogative to do so and has been exercised by all DA leaders. This is a decision made in consultation with the caucus leadership and with Ms. Van Damme’s best interest at heart. I’m sorry I’m trying to portray it differently, ”Steenhuisen said.
TimesLIVE
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