Cele dragged into IFP and EFF fray

Police minister, Bheki Cele, has declined to comment on the matter between the IFP and EFF.

Cele has been dragged into the war between the IFP and EFF, sparked by claims that IFP leaders were allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate the red berets’ secretary-general.

According to EFF leader, Julius Malema, Cele told the party’s secretary-general, Marshall Dlamini, that police were in possession of intelligence showing that certain IFP members were plotting to have Dlamini assassinated.

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EFF/IFP coalition
This was after the EFF, which pulled out of the coalition agreement to assist the IFP take over control of some of KwaZulu-Natal’s hung municipalities, agreed to participate in plans involving the ANC and NFP to have IFP mayors in the province’s hung municipalities removed through a vote of no confidence.

Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, on Wednesday told The Witness that Cele has, for now, resolved not to comment on the assassination plot matter.

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However, the IFP, which has rubbished the claims that its leaders were involved in a plot to have Dlamini assassinated, called on Cele to either deny or confirm Malema’s claims that the minister was the source of the assassination plot claims.

Given that Cele, the IFP said, has already told the party’s leaders that Malema’s claims were not true, it was important for the police minister to issue a public statement on the matter.

“The IFP therefore calls on Minister Cele to speak up and provide an official response regarding the alleged briefing, so that the dangerous allegations against the IFP can be set aside, once and for all,” IFP spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said.

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According to NFP secretary general, Canaan Mdletshe, a motion of no confidence against IFP office bearers at the Nongoma Municipality was scheduled to be debated on Wednesday.

However, Mdletshe said the meeting, where the motion of no confidence against IFP office bearers was supposed to be discussed, could not take place on Wednesday.

The meeting was supposed to sit today [yesterday] but the municipal manager did not issue out invitations to councillors. We hope Cogta (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) will intervene in forcing the meeting to be convened.