Top cops’ imbizo illegal, says city

Provincial and national police bosses face court action over a Khayelitsha imbizo which the DA says was an ANC rally.

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Cape Town - The City of Cape Town will serve the province’s and possibly the country’s top policemen on Monday with notices to appear in court for holding an allegedly illegal imbizo in Khayelitsha on Saturday.

But Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, who the city is targeting, has questioned the city’s motives.

Their second target, acting provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile, has hit back saying the city is welcome to do what it wants, because police paid for the event.

“If we have to go to court we will have to go to court,” Patekile said.

The city says it did not grant an events permit for the imbizo, therefore making it illegal, which they say was paid for with taxpayers’ money.

The controversial policing event – labelled by the DA an “ANC rally” to discredit the province – saw thousands of residents and scores of the country and province’s top police bosses gather at the Khayelitsha Stadium.

The imbizo was held to discuss recommendations made last year by the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry, set up three years ago to investigate allegations of poor policing in the area.

National police had been against the inquiry, which was driven by the provincial government.

During the event Ndithini Thyido, chairman of the Khayelitsha Development Forum, addressed the crowd and said the forum had not been consulted about the commission.

He said it seemed that Khayelitsha was being governed by force.

“We are tired of being used as guinea pigs to test policies.”

Thyido had been under the impression the city had approved an events permit for the imbizo.

He said he was surprised the city had approved both the imbizo and a Social Justice Coalition march, which was held in the same vicinity and at the same time.

He accused the city of instigating clashes between residents.

“They’re inciting black-on-black violence to score cheap political points,” he said.

But mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said that while the city had given approval for the Social Justice Coalition march to go ahead, no approval had been given for the imbizo.

He said the city planned to serve Patekile and the Khayelitsha police head with summonses.

They were looking into whether they could do the same to Nhleko.

“The minister had an illegal event… We’ll serve notices without the option of a fine, failing which arrest warrants will be issued,” Smith said.

He had initially been on the programme to speak at the imbizo, but the police ministry said this had been a mistake.

When Weekend Argus contacted Patekile about whether the imbizo had been approved by the city, he said by late Friday the police had not received approval.

“But we were told we can go ahead at our own risk… We paid for the venue. We paid for a service and we got a service,” he said.

On Saturday Nhleko’s spokesman Musa Zondi said Nhleko questioned why the city had approved the Social Justice Coalition’s march, but not the imbizo.

“How come they approved the march that was going to counter the imbizo?” Zondi asked.

Saturday’s imbizo was held as an ongoing political spat over policing in the Western Cape heated up even further.

Provincial ANC chairman Marius Fransman on Friday accused Premier Helen Zille of ordering the use of illegal intelligence to spy on him and other top ANC leaders.

Zille, earlier this week in a newsletter, questioned whether national police leaders were working to ensure crime fighting fails in the Western Cape.

On Saturday at the imbizo, Fransman called for the Erasmus Commission, set up to probe claims that the DA was using public funds to spy on opponents, to be reinstated.

He said: “Certain foreign intelligence agencies” were illegally being used to gather intelligence on ANC members.

“That’s what’s taking place in the City of Cape Town.”

A few days ago, as part of the ongoing saga involving police and politics, Smith lashed out at Fransman.

He accused Fransman of working together with gangsters and top police officer Major General Jeremy Vearey to disrupt the Western Cape.

Weekend Argus

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