DA councillor sanctioned over false qualification claims reportedly considered for Parliament
ActionSA has questioned whether Cape Town DA councillor Abdulkader “AK” Elyas could be deployed to Parliament or the Western Cape Legislature after a reported 2024 disciplinary finding over false qualification claims.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is under scrutiny for reportedly considering a Cape Town councillor, Abdulkader 'AK' Elyas, for a position in Parliament or the Western Cape Legislature despite his conviction for lying about false qualifications. Councillor Elyas claimed he was a doctor, wearing medical scrubs and stating he entered university at the age of 15.
Despite being found guilty of falsifying his qualifications, including obtaining a BCom Economics with Finance, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, and a Bachelor of Business Science Actuarial Science, Economics, and Finance honors, he remains a sitting councillor. The DA issued a plea and penalty agreement on September 5, 2024, stating he was suspended from the party for the remainder of his term or until the 2026 Local Government Elections, whichever comes later.
He was barred from standing for any elected or non-elected position within the DA, except for a councillor or ordinary public representative MP. ActionSA Western Cape chairperson, Dereleen James, expressed her disappointment, emphasizing that individuals entrusted with shaping the laws of the country must uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
DA leader in the Western Cape, Tertius Simmers, confirmed the incident but maintained that the disciplinary process was concluded and the party would not engage publicly in confidential details. Simmers reiterated the DA's confidence in its candidate selection process and refused to speculate on future candidatures.
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