Police minister Bheki Cele addresses media in Soweto on 11 July 2022. Picture: Michel Bega
Police Minister, Bheki Cele has denied that he informed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) about a planned assassination of one of the political party’s leaders.
The EFF has accused the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) of allegedly plotting to assassinate their secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, following the collapse of the coalition agreement between the two political parties in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) municipalities.
The Red Berets said it received intelligence from the South African Police Service (Saps) regarding the assassination, although the IFP has rubbished the party’s claims.
While Saps spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the police “is not aware of any briefing to the EFF”, the party claimed it got information from Cele about the alleged threat.
Speaking to the media in Cape Town ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, Cele tried to provide clarity on the matter, while speaking in third person.
“The Minister of Police on the 30th of January received information from Nongoma that there is intention of changing government… That councilors will be voting otherwise, and they requested that there should be extra protection because they fear that their lives could be in danger,” he said.
ALSO READ: ‘IFP bribes traditional leaders’ – EFF accuses IFP of patronage networks in KZN
The minister explained that on 4 February he was warned that there might be an escalation in political tensions in the province, adding that he only had “generic discussions” with some political parties.
“For that reason, there was a request that we engage the political leadership so we are able to take them through and work on prevention [measures since] the history of the province when it comes to political killings is well-known.
“Indeed, the Minister of Police phoned political leaders of the IFP, ANC and the EFF. The only leadership that we did not phone was the NFP, [but] we are going to engage them later.”
Cele further said he had no knowledge if there was a specific person who is targeted.
“The issue of rising political [tensions] was raised [and] that was the information that was given to all political leaders. There is no other information that the minister had that goes to the specific individuals as victims or as perpetrators.
READ MORE: EFF should provide proof of assassination plot: IFP President
“The fact is that the minister did not have [any detailed] information, so he could have not conveyed information that he doesn’t have. That’s the story,” he continued.
“We did not deal with any information that involved individuals, safe or unsafe, but the matter is [ongoing]. People are talking about it so the police will have to investigate. From [my side], it was a generic kind of discussion [about] the rising political [tensions].”
The fallout between the two political parties paves the way for the ANC to wrest control of some of KZN’s municipalities from the IFP.
As things stand, the EFF has joined forces with the ANC and NFP in a bid to oust the IFP in the Nongoma Municipality.
The ANC, EFF, and NFP have enough seats to remove the IFP from power in the Nongoma Municipality.
According to IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa, some EFF councillors in KZN’s hung municipalities were not happy with their party’s decision to enter a coalition with the ANC.
Additional reporting by Clive Ndou
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
