THE Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Cape Metro said on Tuesday that it was in possession of evidence suggesting that a senior African National Congress (ANC) councillor in Cape Town attempted to bribe one of its councilors, Sheval Arendse, to leave the DA and publicly join the ANC before the election.
The DA said it had requested the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate suspected bribery and corruption, in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act,
DA Cape Metro chairman Shaun August said that last week Mr Arendse was offered a R5m government contract to leave the DA and join the ANC at a press conference before the election.
"Wisely, he recorded the conversation between himself and Jerimia Thuynsma, a senior ANC councilor in Cape Town," Mr August said.
"The evidence also confirms that the ANC bribed Grant Pascoe to leave the DA and join the ANC," Mr August claimed.
Last month, former Cape Town metro chairman Grant Pascoe defected from the DA and joined the ANC. The ANC said at the time that Mr Pascoe would join the party as an ordinary member and help win back the Western Cape from the DA.
Mr August said the recording of the interaction between Mr Arendse and Mr Thuynsma had been sent to an expert audio analyst to improve its quality. It was also transcribed by legal transcription professionals.
In depth: Election 2014
News, views and analysis of South Africa's national and provincial elections on May 7 2014"We have the original recording, the better-quality recording, the full transcript, as well as an affidavit from Councilor Arendse as to what he was offered, and who made the offer. We have handed all of this evidence over to the SAPS today," Mr August said.
"In the conversation, Cllr Thuynsma can be heard confirming that Grant Pascoe received an inducement for leaving the DA. Indeed, Cllr Thuynsma explains that the contract was channeled through Pascoe’s ex-wife, as that would be impossible to trace back to Pascoe himself," Mr August said.
"Cllr Thuynsma can also be heard making reference to certain contracts in ANC-governed municipalities on the West Coast. We will be following up and investigating these references separately. There may well be more charges to follow in this regard. Worryingly, there is also a specific reference to (ANC Western Cape leader Marius) Fransman and (a) deputy minister on the recording," Mr August said.
He said the contents of the recording, to which Business Day has listened, the transcript, and the affidavit, constituted considerable prima facie evidence of bribery and corruption by at least one, and possible other, senior ANC office bearers in the Western Cape.
"We believe that we have a responsibility to report this evidence to the SAPS and ask them to investigate it fully," Mr August said.
The ANC was not available for comment on Tuesday.
Listen to the DA sound recording, please be aware the sound clip is of poor quality.
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