Steenhuisen dragged into De Freitas party funds mess
DA leader accused of squandering organisation’s purse
DA leader John Steenhuisen has been thrown into a messy political quagmire of expelled party MP and Gauteng leader Manny de Freitas, and there is now a groundswell of calls that he should be hauled before the party’s disciplinary committee.
De Freitas was last month sent packing by the DA’S federal legal commission (FLC) after he was found guilty of corruption, after he allegedly used the party’s kitty to fund Steenhuisen’s 2020 campaign for the organisation’s leadership position.
The emergence of an alleged corrupt relationship between Steenhuisen and De Freitas was first exposed by former party MP Tsepo Mhlongo, who claimed he had been expelled from the DA after bringing to the attention of the organisation’s leadership that the two politicians used the party’s funds to bolster Steenhuisen leadership campaign.
Now insiders within the party are adamant that Steenhuisen should face the music and must be hauled before the organisation’s disciplinary committee, saying he may be complicit in the whole sordid drama related to the “the abuse of funds” by De Freitas.
An official in the DA’S echelons claimed Steenhuisen was “untouchable” and that when issues of impropriety are raised about his involvement in malfeasance of misusing party funds for his campaign, “people get threatened with expulsion”.
“We have raised questions why Steenhuisen is not charged, but once that comes out, threats are made. We believe Steenhuisen is being protected at all costs.”
When asked why the party was not hauling Steenhuisen over the coals, DA’S spokesperson Solly Malatsi said: “No complaint has ever been laid against John Steenhuisen. Mr De Freitas’s membership was terminated after pleading guilty to violating the DA’S Federal finance policy. Termination of membership is the highest possible sanction for any violation of the DA constitution, regulations, and policies.”
Another DA leader who was also dragged into the matter is Tyrell Meyers, the chairperson of the DA in the Johannesburg South region.
He was accused of malfeasance by the former party leader Jacques van Rensburg. He told Sunday World it was surprising the FLC had charged De Freitas but left Meyers untouched.
“Manny and Tyrell were together controlling that bank account that caused troubles for Manny. Both were instructing me to put the donation funds and sponsorship into that account.
“Tyrell was never dealt with, and Manny was given a golden handshake claiming that he had resigned,” said Van Rensburg.
He said Meyers and De Freitas had instructed him where to put “hundreds of thousands of rands”.
Steenhuisen, De Freitas and Meyers did not respond to calls made to their personal cell phones.