Pubdate: Tue, 11 Sep 2007
Source: Dispatch (South Africa)
Copyright: 2007 Dispatch.
Contact:  http://www.dispatch.co.za/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2942

PREMIER SLAMS MAYOR ZILLE OVER VIGILANTES

DEMOCRATIC Alliance leader and Cape Town mayor Helen Zille should act
on the address list of suspected drug lords and gangsters who occupy
council houses of which she, as mayor of Cape Town, is the owner.

This is the view of the Western Cape acting premier Leonard
Ramatlakane, MEC for community safety.

Reacting to her arrest on Sunday during a march that involved
door-to-door visits to known drug dealers, Ramatlakane accused Zille
of contravening the law in her quest for public support.

"The mayor has on numerous occasions been warned about her association
with dangerous people who have openly said in the past that they will
use urban terror in the fight against gangs and drugs and who have now
transformed themselves into a new organisation with the same
objectives and similar modus operandi.

"The mayor must surely know that in the late 1990s, people who
purported to be fighting gangs and drugs were eventually convicted and
sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for serious crimes relating to
urban terror."

Ramatlakane accused Zille of embracing people who have strong links to
vigilantism in the Western Cape.

"Mitchell's Plain is at the heart of the re-emergence of vigilante
activity in the Western Cape and houses have been burnt down during
similar marches in recent months. Not only that but, having heard the
news of her arrest and enquiring from the police, it is clear to us
that Mayor Zille made herself guilty of contravening the law by
participating in an illegal demonstration.

"She should have known that the gathering outside the Mitchell's Plain
police station was illegal and, despite warnings from the police, she
refused to obey the law."

Ramatlakane went on to say that shady characters who had their own
devious agendas wanted to use the mayor to break the law and she
should know better. "It is unfortunate that Mayor Zille felt the need
to associate with people who push the boundaries of the law when all
indications are that the police have a comprehensive strategy in place
to fight drugs and gangs and that fight is beginning to show early
wins, as seen in our first quarter report on the police's successes in
our 15 priority areas. Statistics show that the police, in partnership
with communities, have been making major inroads in the fight against
drugs (especially 'tik') and gangs."
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MAP posted-by: Derek