Buthelezi concerned over daughter's arrest

Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi says he is concerned about the arrest of his daughter Princess Phumzile and two councillors for allegedly intimidating and preventing ANC members from canvsing votes for local government election in the Mbatha tribal area.

FULL STATEMENT

I am deeply concerned about the arrest of my daughter Princess Phumzile, her fellow Councillor Mr Jomo Ngema and Induna Madlopha of the Mbatha Clan. The incident that led to their arrest took place at the Mbatha Traditional Council headquarters.

I am informed that the meeting was attended by the Inkosi of the Mbatha Clan and his people. My information is that my daughter and other leaders tried to caution Councillor Mabaso not to show disrespect to the Inkosi especially in the presence of so many people.

I cannot vouch for what happened there as what I know is only hearsay. But what I find disturbing is the role of our former IFP Councillor in Ulundi Mr Makhosonke Msibi. Quite recently he accused the Inkosi's Deputy of my Clan Mr Josias Mtshali of intimidating ANC members.

As a result such prominent leaders as Mr Bheki Ntuli, a member of the legislature and others attended the hearing which was supposed to be an example of such alleged intimidation. The whole thing turned out to be a complete fabrication.

The whole thing was a fiasco to the extent that the ANC leadership apologised for the embarrassment that was caused by Mr Msibi's false alarm. In the present case it is again Mr Msibi who is behind the arrest of these three people on the allegations that they were intimidating ANC members from canvassing for the local government elections. I cannot pre-empt the findings of the Court which has not yet pronounced its judgement on the matter.

The case is remanded for the 21st of January 2011.

But I do wish to point out that unless the ANC leadership reins in Mr Msibi, he is likely to cause unnecessary ructions and further widen the chasm that exists between the ANC and the IFP.

I deplore the abuse of the resources of state which this kind of action exemplifies. Running to the Police at the drop of a hat for no rhyme or reason can create a general disdain for the law.

Taking into account incidents that took place in Nongoma between the Police and members of the IFP during the general election campaign of 2009, I deplore the misuse of the Police for political purposes. It will be recalled that that particular incident resulted in the National Commissioner taking me to Court unsuccessfully.

There is a trend that whenever there is an election the Police are used to intimidate the rest of us with what is no less than unlawful arrests. It appears that the bonafides of the former KwaZulu Police who are integrated into our Police Force, are not accepted. As a result, they are wrongfully suspected of being biased. I do not know which one of them is a card-carrying member of the IFP.

Nor does it bother me. It seems to me that they have to act in the manner that they have done because of this prejudice against some of them. In the past, before every election, some of the Police are moved out of this district of Zululand. They are then replaced by policemen who in most cases are not even Zulu speaking. Ugly incidents have been recorded in the past where people were mishandled as was the case during the 2009 general election campaign.

I know of a number of cases where some of them have been asked to take the membership of the ANC in order to get promotions. Those who decline are then not given any promotion. I do not suggest that this happens with the knowledge or approval of the National Commissioner of the Police Force. But some below him are doing this.

What is unjust is that incidents like this have been used in the past as a pretext to move in a posse of Police into this district under the pretext that there are tensions that will lead to violence. There are no such tensions and I appeal to the National Commissioner not to be misled by some, into political agendas of people, who want to cause unnecessary commotion which has caused a lot of unnecessary tension and hostility between the ANC and the IFP in the past.

The Mayor of the Zululand District who is the Deputy Chairperson of the IFP in the Province got in touch with the Premier, as leader of the ANC in this Province. But nothing really came out of that contact.

PRINCE MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI MP

7 JANUARY 2011

MAHLABATHINI