The DA turns to police and AfriForum as it accuses Eugene Modise of failing to disclose interests in a municipal contract.
The DA in Tshwane has escalated its fight against deputy mayor Eugene Modise of the ANC by lodging a criminal complaint at Brooklyn police station and enlisting AfriForum’s private prosecutions unit, led by former National Prosecuting Authority prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink alleges Modise benefited from a municipal contract through Triotic Protection Services without declaring his interest, contravening disclosure rules and potentially the Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
Brink insisted mayor Nasiphi Moya has failed to act, shielding Modise, despite his crucial finance portfolio.
DA escalates its battle with Tshwane deputy mayor Modise
The DA framed this as fraud and corruption.
Yet the council report at the heart of the matter recommended disciplinary action, not criminal charges.
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Instead of acting, the Tshwane council voted to establish an ad hoc committee to consider the report further – a move DA caucus chief whip Jacqui Uys called a delaying tactic.
City spokesperson Sam Mgobozi defended the process, saying it would be irregular and premature to act before the committee concluded its work.
ActionSA has entered the fray, accusing the DA of misrepresenting the forensic report.
Investigation focused on disclosure obligation, not corruption
ActionSA national chair Michael Beaumont said the investigation focused narrowly on disclosure obligations under the Code of Conduct for Councillors, not corruption.
Fraud, he said, requires deliberate misrepresentation, unlawful intent, and verified prejudice – none of which the report found.
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For ActionSA, the DA’s charges amount to political opportunism, weaponising procedure rather than pursuing accountability through proper channels.
This clash reveals the contradictions of Tshwane’s coalition politics.
The ANC’s partners have allegedly protected Modise from removal, while ActionSA insisted it is not shielding him but defending due process.
DA turned to AfriForum to add pressure
The DA, frustrated by council inaction, has turned to AfriForum to put on more pressure.
The result is accountability outsourced to private prosecution, while accountability inside council is stalled by committees.
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Tshwane residents are left watching a political show.
On one side, the DA presents allegations as confirmed findings, pushing for criminal charges.
On the other, ActionSA and the council insist on procedural caution, arguing that disclosure lapses must be addressed through established mechanisms.
Real trial is council’s integrity
The mayor’s silence deepens perceptions of impunity, while AfriForum’s involvement signals a breakdown of trust in state institutions, said ActionSA.
The party said the real trial here is of council’s integrity.
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“Ad hoc committees often function as graveyards of urgent discipline, burying accountability under process. Tshwane’s residents deserve outcomes based on verified facts, not partisan distortions,” ActionSA said.
The party said whether Modise’s case is disclosure failure or fraud, the city’s governance crisis lies in its inability to act decisively.
