Technicality or Racial Exclusion?

DISQUALIFIED: Karabo Khakhau has been blocked from running for a top DA position due to ‘tithe’ technicalities. Photo: M&G

Democratic Alliance rocked by fresh race row as Karabo Khakhau deemed ineligible for top leadership post.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) finds itself at the centre of another internal storm following the forced withdrawal of National Spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, from a senior leadership race.

What began as a dispute over a single missed ‘tithe’ payment of R4 250 has rapidly evolved into a significant debate regarding institutional bias and selective discipline within the party. Khakhau was targeting the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Federal Council ahead of the party’s April congress before being disqualified.

According to a detailed statement she shared publicly, the disqualification stems from a July 2025 payment oversight, which the party claims invalidated her ‘good financial standing’ within the Free State Provincial Executive Committee.

“I, in July last year, mistakenly missed a tithe payment,” Khakhau explained in the statement.

She noted that she had consistently paid all other months and acted immediately when the error was brought to her attention in October.

“Within 24 hours, I paid R8 500 for the outstanding July tithe and my October tithe. I do not owe the DA a cent,” she added.

Despite this full settlement, the party’s Federal Executive sustained the decision to block her candidacy - a move interpreted by many as the weaponisation of a minor technicality. This has given rise to suggestions that the decision to exclude Khaukhau from running for the top post within the party was racially motivated.

These perceived racial undertones of the disqualification are anchored in what Khakhau describes as a departure from established party precedent. She pointed out that other leaders in similar financial situations in previous congresses were allowed to contest, including some who were successful incumbents. This perceived double standard has led to accusations that the ‘tithe’ rule is being used as a gatekeeping mechanism to exclude rising black leaders.

By applying the rules rigidly to Khakhau while showing leniency to others, the party risks appearing as though it is intentionally purging voices that challenge its traditional culture.

“This race was personal for me. It was a deliberate push back against those who seek to abolish the existence of ancillary structures in our party,” Khakhau noted.

These structures, such as the DA Youth and the DA Women’s Network, are historically the spaces where diverse leadership is cultivated. Khakhau’s disqualification is therefore seen as a blow to these entry points for black and young representatives who seek to reshape the party’s organisational culture.

The racial motivation behind the ‘technicality’ is further highlighted by Khakhau’s insistence on the demographic future of South African politics. She further argued that no party can succeed without mobilising the country’s majority voter base, which she identified as being black, young and female. Her supporters have argued that by excluding a candidate who embodies this demographic, the DA is signalling a retreat from inclusive growth.

They contend that the use of a settled R4 250 debt to block a sitting MP is a disproportionate response designed to maintain a specific ideological status quo. While the DA establishment maintains that rules are rules, perceptions created by the situation suggest a deeper crisis of representation. For many, the Khakhau saga is a landmark moment that raises the uncomfortable questions of whether the DA is truly a diverse party or merely a platform where black leaders are used for window dressing.

This incident arrives at a precarious time as the party prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE). While the DA is supposedly polling well due to its role in the Government of National Unity (GNU), these alleged purges of black leaders internally provide powerful ammunition for rivals to paint the party as a regressive force.

History suggests that these internal race rows have a direct, measurable impact on the ballot box. Following the high-profile exits of Mmusi Maimane and Herman Mashaba in 2019, the DA’s support among black voters is believed to have declined. In the 2021 LGE, the party’s national support dropped from 26.9% to 21.8%.

Moreover, controversial racial messaging, such as the 2021 Phoenix posters, has also played a huge role in alienating moderate black and minority voters. In the highly competitive Gauteng metros, where black, young, and female voters are the kingmakers, such a perception of black exclusion could be the deciding factor in whether the party maintains its momentum or cedes ground to its rivals.