DA must declare funding from drugs and gangs

The DA’s outgoing national leader Helen Zille must declare all funding and/or donations her party or any of its representatives received directly or indirectly from criminals such as drug lords and gang bosses during her tenure.

It follows on the unfolding scandal and probe by the South African Police Service that the DA run City of Cape Town has directly or indirectly paid protection money or paid gangsters to protect council property in drug riddled areas. 

ANC Western Cape local government spokesperson Richard Diyantyi says: “Information of the ANC points out that the DA administration was informed and warned since 2012 of the presence of gangsters on its database and that some were employed by the city and / or its contractors upgrading rental housing stock (mostly flats). This was ignored for years and only recently revealed. It is now clear that taxpayer money could have found its way into the pockets of gangsters.

“What needs to be established is how these hardened criminals donated blood money to the DA in any way. The ties between senior leaders of the DA and various gang bosses are known.

“What the DA has to come clean on is how much of this blood money found its way back into the DA’s coffers or its much bragged about ‘war chest’ and by whom it was paid. Zille must come out and explain this relationship with the underworld of the Western Cape. If not, she could be found to have the blood of innocent residents on her hands that were killed in ensuing rival drug wars in areas where the DA disturbed the balance of forces.

“The whole upgrading saga is fraught by claims of fraud, corruption, collusion, deceit and breaches of various laws – amongst others the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) that forbids aiding and abetting criminals. Poca also demands that anyone with information or evidence of wrongdoing should report it to the Police for investigation.

“The ANC therefore calls on all people who have knowledge or proof of anything untoward to take it to the Police. This includes the so-called ‘dossier’ of evidence put together by the City, but which was never handed over to the Police as is envisaged in leaked (to the media) internal communication dating back five months. Those failing to do so, should be charged under Poca or any other relevant law and for obstructing due justice.”

Statement issued by ANC Western Cape local government spokesperson, Richard Diyantyi, April 28 2015