Zille: Cape Town spy inquiry an ANC smokescreen

Western Cape provincial minister for local government Richard Dyantyi’s announcement that he intends to probe spy allegations against the City of Cape Town is an African National Congress (ANC) ploy to divert attention from Premier Ebrahim Rasool’s woes, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Tuesday.

“The decision to announce the commission of inquiry today [on Tuesday] is ... clearly intended to divert attention away from Premier Rasool’s cross-examination in the provincial legislature regarding a report that he misled the house,” she said in a statement.

Dyantyi on Tuesday announced a commission of inquiry to probe the city’s conduct during its investigation on councillor Badih Chaaban following claims the council had employed under-hand tactics when gathering evidence against the controversial councillor.

Zille said that while the city would cooperate with the commission, she viewed Dyantyi’s decision as yet another African National Congress (ANC) attempt to undermine the council’s multiparty government.

“As I have stated before, we view the [provincial minister’s] interventions as nothing more than another attempt by the ANC to undermine the multiparty government of Cape Town,” she said.

Dyantyi’s decision to investigate the city, Zille said, was despite the fact that police have failed to make any arrests or produce any substantial evidence of illegal actions on the part of city officials or political leaders.—Sapa