Now, The Star reports that it has seen text messages from Louw indicating that she would not be part of former SABC COO Motsoeneng’s “political journey”.
“Please find it in your heart to understand. I cannot do this. Thank you for assisting me. I will return the money,” Louw said. According to the report, this is a reference to money she borrowed from Motsoeneng after experiencing financial trouble.
WATCH: Hlaudi says he has a plan to help ‘people with albinion’
“After serious consideration, I realised that I (had) made a terrible mistake. When [I] asked for your assistance, I didn’t think I might be asked to join your party,” Louw’s WhatsApps to Motsoeneng read.
Louw also said she had asked her lawyers to write to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for them to remove her as a parliamentary candidate.
ACM launched their manifesto over the weekend at the Curries Fountain sports centre in Durban. The event was met with ridicule on social media, with people sharing pics of a mainly empty stadium.
The event started hours late after it was delayed by a court application brought by Motsoeneng which saw him attempt to force his former employers, the SABC, to broadcast the manifesto launch.
The application was dismissed with costs at the High Court in Johannesburg, with the SABC successfully arguing that it was under no obligation to cover any political party’s events.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)