Mense are getting frustrated with some in the DA…
“Open Letter to the Democratic Alliance
Democratic Alliance Western Cape
15.06.2026
Dear Democratic Alliance Leadership,
Re. The serious conduct of Sebastian Petersen - member and social media writer for the DA
I write this letter not as an attack on the Democratic Alliance, but from a place of genuine concern and frustration.
There are many highly respectable individuals within your party, and while we may not share the same ideological mandate, my engagement with political parties has always been rooted in advocacy rather than personal animosity.
For some time now,
#SebastianPetersen has continued to attack me personally and professionally. Others alike, When challenged, he simply blocks those who calls him out. One of the multiple accounts linked to him, operating under the name "Melcom Dietloff", was used to body-shame me last year while simultaneously making serious allegations against others, especially women.
I am not alone in this experience. There are at least ten other women known to me who have similarly been targeted. Mr Petersen attacks from a place of ignorance, often speaking about people he does not know personally, while fabricating stories and spreading misinformation. Those unfamiliar with the facts may unfortunately be misled by his narratives. But ultimately, it's hurtful, it's appalling and I will not ignore it any longer.
THIS MAN IS NOT KNOWN TO ME OR MY FAMILY. WHAT I HEARD OF HIM WAS IN A PROFESSIONAL SPACE. I RECENTLY ONLY WORKED WITH HIM IN A JOINT PROJECT WITH Marius L Fransman in 2024. And he knows, I kept my distance. I also couldn't ethically divulge anything.
Mr Petersen, and I have never been friendly. And he knows why. Still, he publicly use to acknowledge me and the work I do in the past, yet now seeks to discredit both. I am not driven by popularity, social media engagement or influence. The work I do is a calling and is rooted in service to communities. But he did the same with people he calls friends - see how he now attacks Mr Fransman.
His conduct extends beyond myself. When he was in the ANC and thereafter started his own political party, he levelled serious accusations against members of the DA. Today, his tactics remain unchanged, only his targets differ... Coloured People who now are "Delinquent". (Yet his grammar cannot be reconciled to a Dr. The great file of facts with no accredited certification. Certificate of attendance mos. )
Many have come to understand his primary role leading up to November 5th: to say the things that others cannot publicly say, to create division, discord and confusion. The ultimate effect of this conduct is the erosion of trust and the deliberate fracturing of the Coloured vote in the Western Cape.
Let me be clear: my criticism is not directed at the leadership of the Democratic Alliance as a whole. I have engaged with our Premier Alan Winde at a WOMAN'S EVENT PREVIOUSLY, worked with Dr. Ivan Meyer during his tenure as my Minister, and previously collaborated with Minister Ricardo Mackenzie when I worked in a Ministry. These are respectable leaders, husbands and fathers. Their conduct does not reflect the behaviour displayed by Mr Petersen.
I do not know Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis personally, but I struggle to believe that he would condone a man publicly referring to GBV activist Lucinda Evans or any other woman as "tief"!
What deeply troubles me as a woman in South Africa is the apparent willingness of some within the party to stand alongside an individual who has repeatedly been accused of targeting women and vulnerable groups online.
Alderman JP Smith , as the political head responsible for Safety and Security in the City, I ask how the wellbeing and dignity of so many individuals can continue to be infringed upon without consequence.
I am therefore calling on the
#DA leadership to initiate a full and transparent investigation into the conduct of Sebastian Petersen.