By Ben Maclennan
The deputy leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape, Hennie Bester, is set to quit in the wake of damaging revelations at the Desai Commission.
He is expected to announce his decision at a media briefing he has called for 4pm on Wednesday.
It was not clear whether he would step down from his DA position, or as an MPL, or quit politics altogether.
Bester's shock move follows claims at the Desai commission by fugitive German businessman Jurgen Harksen that he (Harksen) had donated more than a million rand to the DA.
On Wednesday morning a senior Absa official, Erik Marais, told the commission that he (Marais) laundered DM90 000, given to the DA by an unnamed donor, for the party.
Bester told the commission last week that he once discussed with provincial DA leader Gerald Morkel and then-finance MEC Leon Markovitz whether the party should take money from Harksen.
Bester, who is a lawyer by training and served as provincial community safety MEC until the end of last year, said he had strongly opposed the idea.
He has consistently said he was unaware of any donations by Harksen to the party.
Bester has been leader of the official opposition in the provincial legislature. - Sapa