Party profile
DOP
DEFENDERS OF THE PEOPLE
Party leader
Rufus Mphahlele
Founded
September of 2020
About the party
Defenders of the People (DOP) is a left-wing political party and social movement founded in 2020 in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, by Rufus Mphahlele. Focusing its advocacy on workers, social justice, and economic freedom, the party campaigned on community service delivery during the 2021 municipal election, just 14 months after its launch. As a result, the DOP secured key proportional representation (PR) seats across South Africa, including four in Lepelle-Nkumpi, two each in Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, and one each in the Capricorn, Sekhukhune, and Madibeng municipalities.
