Former Democratic Alliance chairperson in Tshwane, who at one point was acting mayor of the city, Abel Tau, has been unveiled as a member of the uMkhonto weSizwe political party led by former president Jacob Zuma.
Tau became Tshwane’s acting mayor in 2019 following the unceremonious ousting of mayor Stevens Mokgalapa who was embroiled in a sex scandal with then Tshwane roads and transport MMC Sheila Senkubuge.
IOL has seen a media invitation from the MK party in Gauteng where it said it would be unveiling “prominent political figures” in Tshwane.
“The MK party is pleased to invite the media house and members of the public in an event to welcome new members to the organisation. Some of these members are prominent leaders from other political organisations,” the media release stated.
“As part of the growth of the MK party in Gauteng, we are attracting a number of comrades that have identified the MK as the viable political home and the only revolutionary party in South Africa.”
Pictures have been circulating on social media platform, showing Tau wearing MK party regalia and holding hands with Zuma.
After being officially unveiled as a member, Tau told told attendees that his latest move was influenced by the need to serve communities.
“This is not about any of us sitting in front today addressing this media briefing. This is about that gogo in Mamelodi who is looking after her grandchildren whose parents have died because they were let and allowed to be fed nyaope in a lawless society,” said Tau.
He said many elderly South Africans have been burdened with having to raise their grandchildren as their own.
“Unfortunately, that is the reality of so many of our families and relatives. This is what this is about. uMkhonto we Sizwe is about taking up the plight of our people and making sure that we indeed turn back this tide and this scourge,” said Tau.
“This government is not for our people and we see it here. I can today proudly announce and say, that revolution will start in Tshwane.”
In November 2022, ActionSA announced that it was terminating the membership of Tau, a former Tshwane MMC for human settlements.
At the time, Tau had been on suspension from the Herman Mashaba-led party, and was found guilty on the charges laid by the wife of a family friend and fellow party member who accused Tau of trying to force himself on her.
In April 2023, Pretoria News reported that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had declined to prosecute Tau, for the sexual abuse charges.
In June last year, IOL reported that in a surprise move, the former ActionSA Gauteng secretary announced that he had ditched the United Africans Transformation (UAT), which he had unveiled in January 2023, and founded a new political party called The Transformation Alliance (TTA).
Speaking during a media briefing at the time, Tau said: “While leading the UAT, I was approached by a lot of people who were not comfortable with the association of the UAT with a certain church and that the name was my surname spelt backwards.”
IOL