The former caucus leader of the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) in the Tshwane metro council announced on August 25 that he was leaving the party and joining the DA.

Grandi Theunissen submitted his resignation to the FF Plus around 08:00 and announced his decision at a news conference at the DA’s main office in Pretoria east.

Theunissen, who has been a member of the party since 1994, said the decision was not made lightly.

According to him, events within the party over the past few months have led to increasing disillusionment. “It was upsetting for me that I was found guilty without a trial.”

He emphasised that he is taking on the new political direction with a calm heart.

He said his experience during the previous coalition between the DA and the FF Plus in Pretoria played a significant role in his decision.

During that time, he was responsible for safety in the mayoral committee and he worked closely with DA councillors.

Theunissen said the co-operation convinced him that the DA and its representatives are able to develop practical solutions for residents.

He particularly referred to financial management and safety issues as areas where concrete progress was made in the previous order.

He also highlighted crime prevention as a field that seriously needs attention right now. According to him, the city must continue using technology and other tools to better protect residents. He said Pretoria urgently needs to pay attention to such challenges.

The former FF Plus leader said party events from the past few weeks were traumatic for him.

He argued that decisions were taken on a national level over his political position without him being given sufficient opportunity to present his side.

He indicated that he has no intention of turning his departure into a public debate with his former party. “I’m not going to have a bitter exchange about it.”

His relationship with the FF Plus came under pressure earlier this year when Willie Spies, a former parliamentary member of the party, was announced as the mayoral candidate.

Theunissen was overlooked, making his future role within the organisation uncertain.

Tensions escalated further after a recent decision in the Tshwane council about a possible development in Groenkloof. The FF Plus voted along with the ANC-EFF coalition.

These events possibly contributed to the national leadership’s decision to reconsider his leading roles in the council and at a regional level.

He said he is excited about his future within the DA and wants to focus on serving residents. Although he acknowledged that he is leaving behind capable people within the FF Plus, he believes that they will understand his decision.

“I am here to serve the community,” he said.

Theunissen refrained from making predictions on future co-operation between the DA and the FF Plus. Nor did he want to speculate on how the two parties might work together within a coalition after the local elections of November 4.

Cilliers Brink, the DA mayoral candidate in Tshwane, welcomed Theunissen on behalf of the party.

Brink said Theunissen’s political experience and knowledge can be of benefit to the DA.

According to Brink, Theunissen’s professionalism during the previous coalition particularly impressed them. He said that co-operation also helped the coalition at the time to implement several decisions.

He emphasised, however, that Theunissen was not presented with a specific position within the DA. His future role will still be determined.

The transition brings a new political phase for Theunissen, while the DA gains access to a councillor with years of political experience.

For Theunissen, the message is simple: He wants to use his next chapter to focus on Pretoria’s residents and the city’s challenges.

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