Tshwane EFF disrupts polygraph testing, ActionSA vows to lay charges

ActionSA has expressed outrage at the “criminal behaviour of EFF councillors” and accused them of trespassing on private property to disrupt polygraph tests conducted with ActionSA councillors.

This follows the announcement made by ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont who confirmed the party had initiated a process to identify councillors within its ranks in Tshwane who may have deviated from the decision of the ActionSA caucus and the DA-led multiparty coalition mandate to support Cilliers Brink of the DA’s candidacy for mayor at the council meeting on February 28.

The party believes eight councillors from within the multiparty coalition supported COPE’s favoured candidate Murunwa Makwarela, ultimately helping to elect him. It is unknown which parties these eight councillors were from.

Beaumont accused the red berets of storming their private venue, trespassing and stealing polygraph equipment.

“This latest move by the EFF demonstrates how desperate they are to stop the truth from coming out and that they are willing to do anything to hide what is believed to be the criminal bribing of councillors within the coalition,” said Beaumont. 

EFF caucus leader Obakeng Ramabodu said selective lie detector tests on democratic processes of the municipal council undermined the competence of the council to function freely and fairly.

“Tshwane EFF will not remain silent when municipal council decisions and outcomes are violated by forces outside the municipal chamber. The Tshwane municipal council is constituted by 15 political parties. The outcome of the executive mayor’s election is a collective exercise of the municipal council. Why has this matter been relegated to political party squabbles?” the chairperson asked.

Ramabodu said the decision by the DA and ActionSA was not only a political party matter but a dangerous action to decimate and incapacitate the Tshwane municipal council and “must be opposed by all parties”.

However, Beaumont stuck to his guns and said the party would open criminal charges against the three EFF councillors who disrupted the process on Monday, vowing they will get to the bottom of what the red berets were “trying to hide about how their candidate for mayor was elected”.

Newly elected mayor Makwarela received 112 votes and the DA’s Brink received 101, suggesting some councillors from the DA-led coalition camp defied the coalition mandate and voted for Makwarela.

“The EFF is revealing itself daily as a criminal enterprise that is willing to engage in criminal acts to protect their newfound alliance with the ANC. We will not rest until those involved are arrested and removed as councillors from the City of Tshwane,” said the ActionSA national chairperson.

ActionSA was not the only party attempting to uncover defiant councillors, with the DA commencing its efforts to sniff out possible delinquents from its camp last Friday.

Tshwane DA caucus leader Brink confessed his caucus resolved to submit themselves to lie detector tests, and said they believe similar resolutions were taken by their coalition partners, citing it was, however, voluntary.

“We want to make sure our own house is in order. Public representatives don’t represent ourselves, we represent the public. Councillors have to be held to the promises they made at an election, otherwise there is no such thing as an electoral mandate. We can’t afford secret balloting to hide backroom dealings.”

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