The political temperature in South Africa’s capital city has skyrocketed following a dramatic escalation in the ongoing scandal surrounding Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise. The African National Congress (ANC) caucus in the City of Tshwane has launched a fierce and public denunciation of the Democratic Alliance (DA), accusing the official opposition of weaponizing the justice system for political gain. This comes after DA councillors formally opened a criminal case of fraud against Modise, citing findings from a recently completed forensic investigation.
The DA’s decision to approach the South African Police Service (SAPS) is rooted in a forensic report, commissioned by the municipality, which allegedly details how Modise, who also serves as the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance, unethically benefited from a company conducting business with the City. The report, contents of which have been selectively cited by the DA, reportedly points to conflicts of interest and potential breaches of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
However, the ANC has mounted a full-throated defence, dismissing the forensic findings as inconclusive and the DA’s legal action as a cynical stunt. ANC Tshwane spokesperson Bafuzi Yabo held a charged press briefing, asserting that the report contains “no evidence of fraud or corruption whatsoever.”
“This is a blatant attempt by a desperate DA to smear a dedicated public servant and destabilize the coalition government,” Yabo stated. “The report raises administrative concerns, which are being thoroughly addressed through the established internal council processes. To leap from an internal audit report to a criminal charge is not only reckless but reveals the DA’s true intent: to paralyze governance in Tshwane and score political points ahead of the election cycle.”
Yabo emphasized that the matter is already being handled by an internal disciplinary and governance process, arguing that the DA is attempting an “end-run” around these structures to create a public spectacle. He questioned the timing of the case, suggesting it was designed to overshadow the ANC’s own narratives and put the party’s coalition partners in a difficult position.
The DA, for its part, has stood firm. A DA spokesperson countered that the forensic report reveals “serious and credible allegations of financial misconduct” at the highest level of the city’s administration. “When a forensic report points to potential criminality, especially involving the very official overseeing the city’s finances, the correct course of action is not to hide behind internal committees. It is to let the police and the National Prosecuting Authority do their jobs,” the spokesperson argued. “The ANC’s reaction is typical of a party that has grown accustomed to shielding its members from accountability.”
The fallout places Mayor Nasiphi Moya in an increasingly precarious position. Having previously argued against Modise’s suspension to allow due process to unfold, she now faces intense pressure from both sides. Her coalition’s stability is being tested as the ANC rallies around Modise, while opposition parties and civil society groups demand decisive action based on the forensic report’s findings.
This clash transcends the specifics of the Modise case, evolving into a proxy battle over accountability, the use of forensic reports in political combat, and the fragile state of coalition politics in South Africa’s metros. As the ANC and DA trade accusations of bad faith and corruption, the citizens of Tshwane are left to wonder whether the fight is for clean governance or merely for power.
About The Author
