DURBAN - AFRICAN Democratic Change (Adec) leader Visvin Reddy has threatened to sue DA councillor Nicole Graham following a tweet that implied that smaller parties in eThekwini Municipality had taken bribes to vote with the ANC to ensure it retained power at last week’s inaugural council meeting.
In a letter, Reddy said Graham, who stood as the DA’s mayoral candidate, should issue a statement withdrawing the tweet or he would take her to court where he would seek damages to the tune of R5 million.
He said those involved in the letter of demand were Adec and other smaller parties in the municipality.
“This comes after she tweeted, ‘a few small parties, whose names you probably won’t even know, handed power back to the ANC in eThekwini. The IFP, EFF, DA, ACDP and a few others didn’t. Make no mistake, these guys have cash in their pockets, and we will hold them accountable’,” he said.
The ANC struck a deal with smaller opposition parties to vote for them in the council in exchange for representation in the executive committee, a move that saw Abantu Botho Congress president Philani Mavundla becoming deputy mayor of eThekwini.
Graham’s tweet is the second allegation of bribery linked to last week’s dramatic council meeting.
Last week IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi alleged that two individuals with close ties to the ANC had tried to bribe him but the ANC denied the allegation.
Reddy said claims they had received inducements to work with the ANC were unfounded, adding that they had tried to engage with parties outside the ANC prior to the election, unsuccessfully.
However, Patrick Pillay, of the Democratic Liberal Congress, distanced his party from the lawsuit, saying they were not aware of the letter. “The tweet by Graham is absurd, I would challenge her to name the parties she’s referring to and that is when I’ll sue. At the moment I do not see anything referring to my party.”
Graham said she had not received any letter of demand from Reddy. She said the election was not about her but was a historic opportunity to topple the ANC.
“Those who cannot stop obsessing about me are desperate to find something or someone to blame for what they did. The public are furious with them and rather than accept they have made a horrible mess, I am an easy target,” said Graham.
THE MERCURY