How DA bigwigs used white councillor to out black leader

De Siena says she was used by the party's top brass

- By Queenin Masuabi

DA federal council chair Helen Zille, former DA MP Mike Waters, and former chief whip Natasha Mazzone have allegedly piggybacked and used the sexual harassment case filed by a junior party councillor to get rid of their opponent and black caucus leader in Ekurhuleni.

Former DA councillor, Ilaria De Siena alleged that Zille, Waters and Mazzone used her case against Philip De Lange to purge him from the blue party.

These explosive details are contained in email communication and text messages between De Lange and De Siena.

In the messages seen by Sunday World, De Siena alleged that Zille encouraged her to file a complaint of sexual harassment against De Lange, which she did.

This resulted in De Lange, who fiercely opposed racism in the party, being shown the door ahead of the 2021 local government elections.

De Siena alleged that Zille, in cahoots with Waters and Mazzone, manipulated her into throwing De Lange under the bus for their own selfish political reasons.

"They accused him of financial mismanagement and said he was going to be out whether I told them the story or not," she wrote.

In a series of text messages on Facebook Messenger seen by Sunday World, De Siena apologised to De Lange, admitting her role in the scandal.

"I did wrong, though I should have never written that email for Helen. I f*cked you over for which I'm deeply sorry, but they told me you're going (anyway), it had nothing to do with me."

De Siena told