THE Democratic Alliance’s (DA) leadership in the Western Cape had to step in at a meeting in Parrow on Saturday to calm the tempers of their coloured supporters who were protesting the suspension of Cape Town mayor Peter Marais, SABC news reported. The plight of Marais, accused of misadministration and misleading the public in an inquiry into the street name probe, is said to be causing division in the DA. Senior DA members had to watch a busload of supporters arriving at the party’s spring day rally under the old National Party flag. A member from the party’s Mitchell’s Plain branch demanded the reinstatement of Marais as mayor. ”He was our a real leader especially for the coloured people. He stood by us,” said another. DA deputy leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk said the King Commission of Inquiry would investigate the allegations against Marais and make recommendations. ”Nobody is guilty until allegations are proven that he is guilty,” he said. Van Schalkwyk said the inquiries were taken very seriously and a guilty verdict would also have to be accepted. ”Peter is a valued member and must now get the opportunity to defend himself, and that right we will also defend,” he said. – Sapa