SA politics 'not ready for young, outspoken women' – Ntuli

Ntuli was speaking to Newswatch after announcing her resignation from the party and provincial legislature on Thursday morning.

Ntuli says women are still considered an inconvenience. 

"I do think the party political system, in general, is to have archaic in nature and needs some shakeup and some change."

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"I don't think that the way that we have always organised, the politics always happens in our country is relevant any longer and so I think a lot of people are coming to that realisation and trying to find different ways in which they can give back to the country.    

Ntuli, who joined the party 15 years ago as a Rhodes student, went up against John Steenhuisen during the election of the party's federal leader two years ago but lost the race.

In a statement, she says she's faced difficult and relentless challenges in the DA.

She says a negative culture is fostered within the organisation.

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"Just being in the political space can take a lot of toll on your mental and physical health, and I obviously one of the people that got Covid and then had very bad long Covid. 

"But even in terms of mental [health], I check myself into a wellness institute because I believe it's really important and I think I saved my own life and I think that it is important for all of us where ever we are in our organisation to be able to have that space to sometimes take a break. So it's been a difficult year."