Former Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader, John Moodey, has responded to comments put forward by the party’s interim leader John Steenhuisen, and has denied that he had left the party to avoid being charged internally in a sex-for-jobs scandal.

Moodey, the long-serving DA provincial leader, announced that he was stepping down as a member of the party on Wednesday, saying he could no longer align himself with the country's main opposition party.

In a statement on Thursday, Moodey said he was "compelled" to respond to the charges levelled against him regarding the "facts" of the so-called Ekurhuleni sex-for-jobs scandal.

Steenhuisen had claimed earlier on Sunday that Moodey jumped ship before he could face serious internal party charges for being involved in the scandal.

He said he received information from two councillors who said the DA's Mike Waters had approached them during the 2016 candidates selection process.

Moodey said Waters was the section panel chairperson at the time who, according to the two councillors, was "soliciting sex in exchange for guaranteed electable positions on the Ekurhuleni councillors list".

"I informed him that unless these councillors were prepared to give written statements to this effect, the matter could not be taken forward. Nothing was forthcoming and that is where the matter ended at that time," Moodey said.

Approached

Then, earlier this year, a senior member of the Ekurhuleni caucus - whose name Moodey did not mention - allegedly also informed him that the same councillors had approached him. He claimed as the selections processes were approaching once again, they feared Waters would be the chairperson once more and that they would feel the same pressure as in 2016.

"I informed him that unless these two councillors were prepared to make statements about this serious matter, it could not be addressed,” Moodey said.

He said a few weeks ago he received a call from a senior councillor who told him one of the two councillors involved in the matter was prepared to submit an affidavit confirming the allegations of sex-for-jobs against Waters, but was scared of being victimised.

The councillor wanted assurances that Moodey would take steps to protect him should this happen.

Moodey said: "As the leader of the province at that stage, I had a duty to defend the processes of the party and to protect councillors with difficulties of this nature,” Moodey said, adding that he later assured the councillor that he would not be victimised "if he has a genuine case to make."

"I deny initiating any contact with these two councillors or offering them any favours or promises of promotions if they cooperated by giving any false statements regarding and against Mike Waters.

"I do not know whether Mike Waters is guilty or not, but what is clear is that the matter needs to be thoroughly investigated."

Tape recordings

He added: "Until such time that I am presented with the tape recordings of the allegations against me and other documentary evidence alluded to, I cannot comment on any such alleged evidence.

"What was of concern was that the Federal Council chairman allowed members of the Federal Council to have access to the FLC (federal legal council) report and recordings and other evidence even before the charges were served on me and the allegations tested in a disciplinary process."

Moodey added that some members had access to this evidence and had encouraged others on social media to view the evidence.

"This clearly did have a negative impact upon my campaign," Moodey said.

"Three weeks ago, I wrote to the Federal Council chairperson requesting an FLC opinion regarding her decision and that she immediately prevent anyone else from having access to the evidence until such opinion was received. To date, my request has been ignored and I had not had a response from the FLC.

"Clearly the party conducted a campaign against me within its structures before I received a charge sheet. I reiterate, I have nothing to hide. I have nothing to run away from," Moodey said.

Waters on Thursday claimed that Moodey tried to tarnish his political career and his personal reputation, saying he would seek recourse in the courts against the former provincial leader, News24 reported.

Waters accused Moodey of attempting to destroy his political career and personal reputation, claiming the resignation was about the charges he was facing relating to the scandal.

Werner Horn, a member of the FLC, told journalists it had recordings to prove Moodey's involvement in allegations of trying to frame the senior party leader, which came to the fore after the two junior councillors turned whistleblowers.