Publications
Partners
A Tshwane DA councillor has told City Press that she has been suspended in what appears to be acrimonious in-fighting between party members in the capital city.
Councillor Nkele Molapo on Saturday confirmed that she had been informed of her suspension with immediate effect by DA caucus chairperson Gert Visser.
“I received a phone call today [on Saturday] morning around 9am and it was Visser informing me that I had been suspended. He added that they would be sending me and my lawyer a formal letter to that effect shortly,” said Molapo, who refused to comment further.
City Press’ repeated attempts to reach Visser were unsuccessful.
Molapo’s suspension comes after criminal charges were laid against City of Tshwane municipal manager Moeketsi Mosola on Friday.
Two sources close to the matter informed City Press that Molapo’s suspension and the laying of charges against Mosola were linked to the racial turmoil brewing within the DA in Tshwane.
One source said: “Molapo was initially given a letter of intention to suspend and asked to submit reasons she should not be suspended. They did not give reasons as to why they are suspending her.”
The sources also said the real reason Molapo was being targeted was because she openly backed Abel Tau during the party’s regional elections and the latter was elected as Tshwane regional chairperson, “which did not sit well with the white cabal that really runs things within the DA in Tshwane”.
Speaking to City Press in October, Mosola said “the DA’s ‘white minority cabal’ wants me out at all costs”, adding that the main reason for pushing him out of his position began soon after he initiated investigations that led to former chief of staff Marietha Aucamp being fired for lying about her qualifications.
“I was responsible for the dismissal of their blue-eyed beloved,” said Mosola.
Meanwhile, DA caucus whip and Gauteng shadow MEC for Roads and Transport Fred Nel, as well as deputy chief whip Crezanne Bosch have dismissed as “fake” the text message correspondence allegedly between them that has been making the rounds, in which they allegedly use racial slurs against black party members.
When City Press contacted the pair over Molapo’s suspension and their alleged SMS correspondence, they said “this is fake” and claimed they were willing to submit their laptops and cell phones to the chairperson of the federal council, James Selfe, for investigation.
They both said they were willing to go as far as subjecting themselves to lie detector tests to clear their names.
DA Gauteng chairperson John Moodey said: “Molapo has not been fired and still remains in her capacity as councillor”.
He added: “Fred denies posting the conversations and has proclaimed that he is willing to be investigated and to subject himself to a lie detector test.”
DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi said: “The party has been made aware of the fact that this is a fabricated text. The two members involved have sworn to the fact that it is indeed fake. They have even offered their devices for forensic investigation, as well as a polygraph test if needed.”
The party will move to expedite this process as soon as possible, added Malatsi.
