Councillor dumps DA for the PA

One of the hard-working DA councillors in Johannesburg has jumped ship and joined the Patriotic Alliance.

PA president Gayton McKenzie confirmed former Eldorado Park Ward 18 councillor Fazel Jaffer had joined the party.

The PA has presented itself as an alternative, particularly for coloured people, who  McKenzie told HeraldLIVE’s sister publication  Weekend Post last week would no longer be treated as step-children in SA.

Confirming Jaffer’s new membership, McKenzie said he was a great addition to the PA.

“The PA is very happy with such a great and energetic councillor joining us. The DA has been taking coloured votes to build white areas, they use and abuse the votes by our people.

“We have beaten them in Riverlea, we shall beat them in both Ennerdale, Eldos Ward 17 & 18. We are coming for the refund of all promises made,” he said.

Jaffer is not the first DA councillor in Eldorado Park to jump ship and join the PA. In October 2020, Ward 17 DA councillor Peter Rafferty defected to the PA.

DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga confirmed Jaffer had left the party.

“He hasn’t even submitted anything formal to the DA. Even the wife didn’t know – he just posted pictures of him joining the PA,” he said.

Msimanga implied Jaffer could have been bought.

“He was very open about the advances the PA were making on him and how others left after they were promised money. I guess the price was right for him this time.”

He wished him well with the PA.

“He was a very hard-working councillor, I’ll give him that,” Msimanga said.

Jaffer was not immediately available for comment.

HeraldLIVE