DA accuses Moodey of 'concocting' sex-for-jobs scandal
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has made explosive allegations against the party's former leader in Gauteng, John Moodey, a day after his resignation.
Moodey unexpectedly announced his resignation from the party on Wednesday, citing strained race relations within the official opposition.
Moodey told reporters that the party's failure to address comments made by federal chair and former leader Helen Zille shows the party is no longer the same one he joined more than 20 years ago.
But interim leader John Steenhuisen says Moodey's resignation is a ploy to avoid facing disciplinary action for alleged misconduct.
"Mr Moodey, in resigning from the Democratic Alliance, is in fact running away from facing a very serious set of charges relating to an attempt to frame a political opponent in a sex-for-jobs scandal.
"This is also allegedly involved attempting to bribe two young and vulnerable councillors into giving false evidence. Mr Moodey was also to face a charge that he was involved in offering these councillors promotions on the candidate's list for the 2021 elections if they cooperated in making false statements to smear the senior politicians involved."
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Steenhuisen admits the public mudslinging is not a good look for the party.
"Let me be clear. We did not want this matter to be discussed in the public arena. We did not want to go into the facts and nor do we want to get into the mud with Mr Moodey. However, we cannot allow a false set of circumstances to prevail and for lies to be allowed to settle and then eventually become facts."
He further accuses Moodey of using the race card to escape guilt.
According to Steenhuisen, the party is in possession of hard facts implicating Moodey and others.
"This is an ongoing investigation. I think it would be deeply prejudicial to the members named in the report as well as the victims in this particular matter to release that full report and those names to the public.
"It is very unusual during a disciplinary process, halfway through it, to release the names as well as the recordings and information until such time as that case is concluded," he explains.
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Internal investigations are underway.
"It's very clear that Mr Moodey has sought to deflect attention from himself by defaming colleagues, playing the race card and seeking to inflict as much damage on the party as he possibly could on his way out the door by spreading these mistruths and rumours," Steenhuisen adds.
Moodey joins a growing list of high-profile members who have left the official opposition, including former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba and former party leader Mmusi Maimane.
