DA axe ‘bogus doctor’ Elyas after internal probe exposes false qualification

The DA has terminated the membership of AbdulKader Elyas, once a rising figure in Cape Town politics, after he admitted to falsifying his qualifications.

The party’s Federal Executive made the decision after years of controversy over Elyas’s credentials and a fresh internal investigation.

Expulsion

News24 reported that the DA’s Federal Legal Commission recommended Elyas’s expulsion, which was adopted by a vote of 16-8, despite support from some senior party figures.

Elyas had previously ranked fourth on the DA’s proportional representation candidate list for the City of Cape Town ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

“This is about integrity. The DA cannot allow individuals who mislead the public about their qualifications to represent the party,” a senior DA insider said after the vote.

The Citizen has reached out to the DA for comment

Troubles

Elyas’s troubles date back to 2024, when he pleaded guilty to five disciplinary charges relating to false or inaccurate information about his qualifications.

At the time, he was sanctioned but allowed to remain in the party. The latest revelations, however, proved decisive.

Breach of trust

The DA said Elyas’s conduct amounted to a breach of trust with voters.

“Public representatives must be held to the highest standards. When those standards are violated, accountability must follow,” the party’s Federal Executive noted in its statement.

Fallout significant

The fallout is significant for the DA, which has faced criticism for allowing Elyas to remain in its ranks despite earlier findings.

His removal underscores the party’s attempt to reinforce discipline and credibility ahead of the 2026 elections.

Elyas, who once styled himself as a community leader and medical professional, now leaves politics under a cloud of dishonesty.

‘Betraying trust’

Earlier this month, ActionSA has accused the DA of betraying public trust after reports surfaced that Elyas was being considered for promotion to either Parliament or the Western Cape Legislature.

ActionSA’s Dereleen James said the party was not surprised by what she called “credible reports” of Elyas’s possible elevation.

“Despite these findings, he remains a sitting councillor and, according to credible information received, is now being considered for promotion to serve as a lawmaker in South Africa,” James warned.

Doctor

Elyas had presented himself as a medical doctor, even wearing scrubs and claiming he began university at 15.

An internal DA disciplinary record, seen by ActionSA, found him guilty of charges related to falsifying his qualifications.

James said the DA must come clean about the reported promotion.

“They must explain how such a deployment is not an insult to the standards that ought to govern the calibre of representatives political parties send to represent citizens,” she said.

She added that lawmakers entrusted with shaping South Africa’s future must meet the highest standards of honesty and integrity.