Cape Town - The DA has lodged a complaint with police against ANC councillor Jerimia Thuynsma, whom it accuses of attempting to bribe one of its councillors, Sheval Arendse, to cross over before the elections on Wednesday.
When Thuynsma made an approach to Arendse, “wisely, he recorded the conversation”, the DA said in a statement on Tuesday night.
The party also alleges the tape implicates Grant Pascoe, who turned his back on the DA for the ANC last month while he was a mayoral committee member and head of its crucial Mitchells Plain constituency. Pascoe has denied the DA’s allegation that the ANC gave him R1 million and a car to cross over.
The DA has handed the tape to police and the media.
“In the conversation, Thuynsma can be heard confirming that Grant Pascoe received an inducement for leaving the DA. Indeed, Thuynsma explains that the contract was channelled through Pascoe’s ex-wife, as that would be impossible to trace back to Pascoe himself,” read the DA statement.
“In addition, Arendse was offered a R5 million government contract to leave the DA and join the ANC at a press conference before the election.”
Thuynsma did not respond to calls and SMSes on Tuesday night.
ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile said the DA’s allegations against Thuynsma and the ANC was a “diversion strategy and there were no basis or truth to it”.
“Our conscience is very clear on this matter,” he said.
“It is this kind of behaviour people who cross to the ANC should expect from the DA.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Pascoe had made a strong call for coloureds to vote for the ANC: “It is up to coloured people to reaffirm their triumph over a DA government that neglects and dehumanises them.”
Pascoe said an annual customer satisfaction survey for the city council usually released to the public, which he alleged the DA had kept secret this year, would have revealed just how unhappy people were with the DA.
DA metro caucus chairman, Grant Twigg said: “Grant Pascoe is talking nonsense and he clearly has to now sing for his supper in the ANC.”
Cape Times