Popular content creator with a special focus on socio-politics Darren Campher has joined the Jacob Zuma-led uMkhontho weSizwe (MK) political party as head of research.
In June, IOL reported that Campher had used his platform during the May elections to enlighten the public on political parties and their manifestos, which affect the bread-and-butter issues of families across the country.
In an interview on Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh’s podcast, Campher said he is impressed by the legal team he works in the fledgling political party.
“I joined the MK party as head of research, head of the research team. Firstly, their legal team, some of the people in their legal team, people in the legal team are some of the (most) brilliant people I have ever met and I am really fortunate to be working with them,” he said.
The socialite revealed that he had been approached by several people within MK party before the tightly-contested May elections, and they were luring him to join the party.
“At that time I had a lot of questions about the party, I did not yet get the answers or the clarity that I was hoping for. I was okay with the manifesto but it didn’t have enough on the social side of things to make me comfortable. At that point I said there is not enough for me, with the platform that I have, to justify making the step, with the values and what I advocate for,” Campher said.
He said once those salient matters were flashed out, as he also understood that the party was going through teething problems, he opted to join the political party.
“Post elections I was then contacted, someone said how would you feel about being in the research department or contributing on that side – that is a lot of what you do, we also need someone to assist in breaking information down, to make it easy to digest not just for the MPs but in terms of party policy as a whole, to kind of refine things. At that point I started asking more questions, things were more flashed out, I was able to understand what the party policy was.
“The party was also more articulate on what they wanted,” said Campher.
IOL previously reported that the youthful Campher has been trending on social media recently, predominantly on TikTok, and has citizens engaging, even asking him to start his own party as they would vote for him to be president.
At the time, Campher said he does not necessarily have an interest in politics, but in humanity.
He said everything started amid his business and finance background, where jargon and terminology was not very “user friendly”, so he dedicated his platform to helping people understand socio-economics.
“Drawing closer to the election it made sense for me to shift my platform to looking at the various political parties' manifestos and policies so that people can know exactly when they vote, what the party stands for and what that party would be advocating for behind closed doors.
“Growing up black or coloured, you are always either struggling or around people who are struggling, and at some point in my life, I realised that one of the biggest parts of what makes people who look like me struggle is the systemic issue, and that was when I started locking in on it.”
Campher is an entrepreneur and has a degree in Business Administration.
He said he continues to educate himself on topics that affect South Africa by reading the news, keeping up to date with raw data from the government, financial statements, geo-political events, and is always reading.
“Trending on social media is reassuring to feel trusted but quite a bit of pressure because it reminds me that I need to hold myself accountable and double check my research.
“Politics should be a dinner table discussion as it affects all of us.”
However, Cape Argus reported at the time that Capher’s political inclination was with the Julius Malema-led Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Campher made it clear that he was not loyal to any particular party but loyal to what the party represents in the best interests of the country.
“For now, that party is the EFF, if they stay loyal to the needs of the country they have my vote but as soon as that changes my vote will change.
“I think the ANC have a very important decision to make, they need to decide if they are going back to their freedom charter roots, which would be an EFF/MK coalition or if they are going to grow a more Western aligned route which is with the DA,” Campher previously stated.
IOL