Liam Jacobs is addressing accusations that he is a “flip-flopper” after dumping the Patriotic Alliance after just a year and returning to the DA.

In a lengthy statement released on Tuesday, Jacobs admits that he should never have left the DA in the first place, saying PA leader Gayton McKenzie misled him.

“I believed Gayton. I believed the PA promises. I personally saw that I was misled by lies. I admit, I made a mistake.”

READ MORE: Mckenzie says PA expected Liam Jacobs’ exit

Jacobs says he left the DA in a manner that “disrespected the organisation that went to great lengths to invest in my development.”

“I followed it up with statements on social media that caused great harm to the very people who extended their trust and support to me. My departure was disgraceful. Despite this, I am deeply aware of what the DA has done for me.”

He says the DA took him in as a young activist from the Northern Cape, developed him in Gauteng, and seated him in the National Assembly at only twenty-three years of age. Jacobs says the DA believed in his potential.

“I wholeheartedly apologise to DA voters, leadership, public reps, activists and staff for causing harm to the party, leaving in such a distasteful manner and for the lack of gratitude I showed towards the DA. I do not expect forgiveness immediately. I understand that trust must be earned again, and I am committed to rebuilding it through my actions.”

Jacobs says that as he spent more time on the inside of the PA, the veil lifted, and what he saw “explicitly” contravened his values.

“I could not, in good conscience, serve the people of South Africa whilst being in the vehicle of the Patriotic Alliance.”

He says one of the reasons that made him decide to jump ship back to the DA is that he believes the PA has sold out its voters to the ANC, whereas the DA is not afraid to hold the ANC accountable.

He also says in the PA that members were instructed to defend NCC leader Fadiel Adams, based on the fact that he is coloured. He also claims the PA’s rhetoric is bordering on xenophobia, which has led to confrontational behaviour that he fears could incite further violence.

Furthermore, Jacobs says there are no governance structures within the PA, and that McKenzie alone makes the decisions.

“The PA operates in a space of anarchy. It disciplines via Facebook lives and social media. I thought the PA was the answer, but I realised it was not.”

Jacobs concludes that he returns to the DA not as a public representative, but as an activist, with his “conscience intact, committed to working hard every day to stop anyone else from making the same mistake.”

The Nyanga Community Police Forum (CPF) is appealing to the taxi industry to resolve all ongoing conflict to restore peace in the area.

This comes after four people were gunned down and two others were critically injured in a mass shooting earlier this morning.

The CPF secretary, Dumisani Qweba, says while there has been calm in the area in recent weeks, there are concerns that the latest shooting would result in further incidents that could impact commuters.

“We had a huge decrease in murders in the last few months, and now with the latest shooting, it looks like we will have challenges going forward. We want to appeal to the taxi industry to resolve their challenges and address them without resorting to gun violence. You need the community for your business to prosper, but now commuters are living in fear, and we don’t know when these shootings will take place.”

The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that while investigations are ongoing, the attack is believed to be taxi-related. Spokesperson Andre Traut says the brutal attack happened on the corner of Moonwood Drive and Sheffield Road.

“Preliminary reports indicate that at approximately 08:30, unknown suspects opened fire on a group of individuals. Four adult males, whose ages are yet to be determined, sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were declared deceased on the scene. Two other men were injured during the attack and were admitted to hospital in a critical condition.”

Traut confirmed that the suspects fled the scene but stressed that authorities are working tirelessly to ensure that they are brought to book.

“Provincial detectives attached to the Provincial SVC Taxi Unit are pursuing all available leads to identify and apprehend those responsible, while forensic experts are processing the crime scene and gathering evidence as part of the ongoing investigation.”

As fear and anxiety grip the area, SAPS confirmed that additional resources will be deployed.

“Additional police deployments have been dispatched to the area to heighten security and maintain stability.”

Western Cape Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku has welcomed the launch of Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations’ (CODETA) new cashless payment system, describing it as a significant milestone in the modernisation of the minibus taxi industry.

Sileku attended the official launch in Khayelitsha as the pilot project got underway on Monday, 1 June.

The initiative is currently operating on two routes: Site C in Khayelitsha to Killarney, and Mfuleni to Killarney. Under the new system, commuters no longer need to pay with cash and can instead use digital cards that are scanned when boarding taxis.

READ MORE: CODETA rolls out cashless taxi payments in Cape Town – Smile 90.4FM

The pilot forms part of broader efforts to improve safety, convenience and efficiency within the public transport sector. Sileku said the cashless taxi operations would reduce risks associated with carrying and handling cash.

“For too long, passengers have had to deal with cash in crowded taxis. This innovation will improve that experience,” he said.

The MEC also praised CODETA and its partners for driving innovation in the sector and prioritising the needs of commuters.

“This is a practical step towards a safer and more efficient public transport system,” said Sileku.

As part of the pilot, CODETA has introduced discounted fares for scholars, pensioners and residents travelling to hospitals or clinics. Eligible passengers will receive a R10 discount.

The Western Cape Mobility Department said it would monitor the pilot closely, as commuters adjust to the new system.

“[MEC] Sileku encouraged other taxi associations to follow Codeta’s example and adopt similar systems to improve service delivery,” read the department’s statement.

Patriotic Alliance leader and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie says the party anticipated Liam Jacobs’s departure long before he announced his return to the Democratic Alliance.

Speaking during a Facebook Live broadcast on Monday night, McKenzie said PA leaders had identified months ago that Jacobs was unhappy within the party and had struggled to adapt to its culture and grassroots-focused style of politics.

McKenzie revealed that he had held a private meeting with Jacobs to discuss concerns about his role in the party and his feelings of being sidelined.

He claimed that party leaders had subsequently concluded that Jacobs was likely to return to the DA and had internally discussed concerns about trusting him.

While describing Jacobs as a talented young politician, McKenzie argued that he was not suited to the PA’s ground-level campaigning approach and had failed to connect with the communities that make up much of the party’s support base.

McKenzie also rejected criticism levelled at the PA following Jacobs’ departure, insisting the party had supported him after he left the DA and maintaining that his exit would have little impact on the organisation.

His comments came after the DA officially welcomed Jacobs back into its ranks on Monday.

In a statement, DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said Jacobs had returned after rejecting what it described as the “politics of chaos, personality cults and empty promises” within the PA. The party claimed Jacobs had left after witnessing firsthand that the PA “never delivers on promises”.

Hill-Lewis said his return reflected the DA’s commitment to being an inclusive political home for South Africans and praised Jacobs for what it called the courage and maturity to “correct course” and recommit himself to building a better South Africa.

Hill-Lewis also said South Africa needs a political alternative that is “bigger than grievance, bigger than division, and bigger than any individual”.

With November’s local government elections looming, both parties are presenting Jacobs’ move as evidence of the strength of their respective political projects.