KZN ANC slams 'Hollywood style' arrests by Hawks, want Ramaphosa to step in

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The ANC in KZN says it will soon request a meeting with the President Cyril Ramaphosa to raise their concerns about the conduct of Hawks investigators which it says "through their Hollywood style of arrests", lays a fertile ground for speculation that some of the arrests are politically motivated.

The concerns come as suspended eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede and her Newcastle counterpart, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, allege that their arrests are linked with the settling of internal ANC scores instead of punishing them for wrongdoing.

Mahlaba even publicly blamed Police Minister Bheki Cele for his woes, saying Cele was using the task team investigating political killings in KZN to settle internal issues.





Addressing the media in Durban on Tuesday on the outcomes of the party provincial executive committee meeting, provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, said they would have to look at this matter urgently.





"We want to put before him that we have deep-seated concerns that some of the arrests, celebrated as they should be because they are sending a signal that we are intolerant to wrongdoing, but take place in a manner that creates a perception of political manipulation and conspiracies and we want to put that before the president.





"We are not going to say stop the investigations, we want to say investigate and arrest but in a dignified manner. I know that there is an argument that there is no dignity in thieving and there is no dignity to be accorded to those who are accused of doing anything that is wrong," he announced.





Ntuli said they want Ramaphosa to intervene but did not explain how the intervention would be carried out with being seen as political interference in the work of law enforcement agencies of the country.





"But at least the way we handle it must not create a fertile ground for people to believe that these are ANC problems and somebody is using the State to undermine and subvert the direction of the organisation into his own direction.





"So we will engage the president on that issue, we have already written to the SG (Secretary General Ace Magashule) requesting the meeting that must take place between ourselves as the provincial leadership as well as the national leadership to put before them our major concerns about the conduct and the behaviour of some of the investigators and the behaviour of some of the police.





"This Hollywood style of arrests, appears aimed at embarrassing people as opposed to dealing with the content of the problem. That is what we are going to take to the President and say help us to deal with this matter," Ntuli said.





At the same briefing, Ntuli told the media that three of their senior members in three regions will vacate their positions in the next 30 days.





Chief among them was Zandile Gumede who has already been suspended. She will take her leave of absence with eThekwini municipality exco member Mondli Mthembu.





Despite weeks of defiance, Ntuli said Newcastle mayor, Mahlaba, was also going to take special leave while his case is being handled by the party.





In the absence of mayors, Ntuli said deputy mayors would act but said the issue of Newcastle was unique as there was no deputy mayor.





Gumede's deputy, Fawzia Peer, will act as eThekwini mayor.





Political Bureau