DA former Cape Town chair defects to the ANC

The ANC on Monday welcomed former DA Cape Town metro chairman Grant Pascoe to the party.

"Councillor Pascoe joins an overwhelming number of South Africans, who despite finding themselves in other political parties, recognise the ANC as the only organisation with the track record, capacity and determination to build a South Africa," spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.

"Comrade Pascoe joins as an ordinary member of the organisation, and will assist our efforts to win back the Western Cape."

Pascoe served as a Democratic Alliance councillor for more than 13 years and was a member of the mayoral committee from 2006.

A number of DA members have defected to the African National Congress, just months before the May 7 general election.

Last month, DA MP Beverley Abrahams defected during a sitting of the National Council of Provinces.

She resigned from the party in a statement, which she read out during the sitting.

Abrahams was the DA member for Gauteng in the NCOP.

Four DA councillors from Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg joined the ANC in February.

The defection of the two from Ekurhuleni was announced on February 11, the day of the DA's march to the ANC's Luthuli House headquarters for real jobs.

The two from Johannesburg were announced on February 27. Toni Molefe and Sipho Masigo served as DA proportional representation councillors in the City of Johannesburg. Molefe was DA deputy chief whip and Masigo was the party's deputy chairman in Gauteng.

Four DA councillors in Tshwane were also set to defect to the ANC.

ANC Tshwane deputy chairman Mapiti Matsena said last month that they would leave the DA in pairs during the next two council meetings.