The Democratic Alliance (DA) chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal Dean Macpherson said on Monday that the party will pursue legal action against ActionSA and its interim national chairperson Michael Beaumont following claims by ActionSA that DA party leaders had “bribed” and offered “inducements” to ActionSA councillor Shandy Singh to join the DA.

Last week, the DA’s lawyers sent a letter to ActionSA, demanding that the statement be retracted, and an apology issued within 24 hours.

It further demanded R100 000 for each of the five DA members accused and R100 000 for the DA which would be donated to an organisation fighting corruption.

The DA claims to have a deposed affidavit that completely contradicts a statement issued by ActionSA’s Beaumont.

The so called “meeting” where ActionSA believes this bribery took place was on September 8,  where Singh was supposedly offered to fill the seat of Zwakele Mncwango in exchanged for joining the DA.

“This inducement of offering Mncwango’s seat on the 8th of September 2022 could not have been possible because he only resigned from the KZN Legislature on the 5th of October and as a member of the DA on the 9th of October. This fact along with the affidavit, is clear evidence that ActionSA have misled the public and wrongfully accused leaders of the DA of committing a serious crime. It is simply not acceptable,” explained Macpherson.

The DA says bribery is a serious crime in South Africa and added that it could not allow political parties to flippantly waste precious Police resources.