Opposition parties in the Western Cape Legislature are urgently requesting a meeting with Provincial Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile to discuss safeguarding South African Police Service (SAPS) investigations from political interference.
The call comes in response to a recent raid by SAPS’s specialized crime unit on the offices of Cape Town Safety and Security MMC JP Smith and Water and Sanitation MMC Xanthea Limberg.
The raid is part of an investigation into a tender fraud case within the construction sector in the City of Cape Town.
The African National Congress (ANC), GOOD, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the Western Cape Legislature express deep concern over statements made by Councillor JP Smith and Ms. Helen Zille of the DA regarding the ongoing police investigation.
“The police must be allowed to conduct their work with independence and integrity, free from external influence or baseless accusations,” the parties said in a media statement.
“If the allegations made by Smith and Zille are without foundation, it reflects poorly on their leadership and raises further doubts about the Democratic Alliance’s fitness to govern. We urge the SAPS to remain steadfast in its commitment to justice and transparency, ensuring that those who are implicated are held accountable without fear or favour.”
Smith, a member of the mayoral committee on safety and security in Cape Town, has alleged that the investigation is politically motivated and part of a conspiracy against him.
Both Smith and Zille claim they were informed about the investigation last year.
“Given the seriousness of these claims, we collectively call for an urgent meeting with the Provincial Police Commissioner, General Patekile, to address: 1. The alleged tip-off to Smith that he was under investigation. 2. Whether there is any substance to Smith and Zille’s claim of political machinations behind the investigation. 3. The importance of safeguarding SAPS investigations from political interference,” the parties said.
“The police must be allowed to conduct their work with independence and integrity, free from external influence or baseless accusations. If the allegations made by Smith and Zille are without foundation, it reflects poorly on their leadership and raises further doubts about the Democratic Alliance’s fitness to govern.”
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