The African National Congress in the Western Cape on Monday accused the Democratic Alliance of hypocrisy and failing a moral test, following the announcement that Cape Town unicity mayor Gerald Morkel would merely assume a lower public profile until his name could be cleared.
Morkel is at the centre of allegations that the DA received more than a R1-million in donations from alleged German fraudster Jurgen Harksen.
At a press briefing on Monday, Morkel said he would hand over ceremonial duties to his deputy Belinda Walker, but was adamant that he would remain in office. In his reaction, ANC provincial leader Ebrahim Rasool accused Morkel and the DA of failing a moral test.
”Instead they attempt to deceive the public by removing him from ceremonial duties while keeping him in office. The weight of evidence coming out of the Desai Commission of Inquiry suggest that he is guilty.”
The reply by Morkel and the DA to the allegations of corruption against him had been nothing short of bewildering, Rasool said. ”His refusal to step down from the mayorship of Cape Town and his latest attempt to deceive the people of Cape Town is a great injustice and insult to the citizens of the city. The public will not stand for this.”
The ANC had hoped that Morkel would have emulated former premier Peter Marais who resigned from office. ”This is the only way to restore dignity to the mayorship and the city of Cape Town.”
ANC councillors Saleem Mowzer, Peter Gabriel and Danile Landingwe said in a statement that the DA and its national leader Tony Leon were hypercritical.
”If the mayor is not going to fulfil his duties, he must resign. Taxpayers cannot be expected to pay his salary while he is in office to prepare his defence.
”Morkel and all those implicated with him must go.” The DA had faced its moment of truth and had failed.
Earlier, DA federal council chairman said his party’s federal executive committee had met to discuss the Morkel issue and agreed with the mayor’s action.
Any further action against Morkel would depend on the party’s internal investigation and the forensic audit of his personal accounts, Selfe said.
New National Party executive director Renier Schoeman on Monday called on DA leader Tony Leon to resign in the wake of what he called ”the Harksen money scandal”.
The move by the DA and Leon was an empty and pointless gesture which clearly emphasised Leon’s inability to properly handle the scandal, Schoeman said.
”Leon and other DA leaders involved in the Harksen money scandal must take responsibility for their actions and resign. The taxpayer now has to pay for Leon’s lack of leadership,” Schoeman said. – Sapa