VRYHEID: IFP leaders suspect political plot on their case
"We suspect that this is a political plot against us, but we trust the law and our lawyers on the matter" - Danisa.
Three IFP leaders who face charges of attempted murder have cited that the charges against them are “a political plot”, even though they did not specify which political party or political faction had hatched the plot.
AbaQulusi IFP councillors Sakha Siyaya and Absalom Mbatha – together with IFP Constituency secretary Emmanuel Danisa and Cllr Siyaya’s bodyguard, Sakhile Mncwango – appeared before the Vryheid Regional Court on Monday on charges of attempted murder following a shooting that took place during the violent protest in Vryheid in February last year.
Outside court, Danisa said, “We suspect that this is a political plot against us, but we trust the law and our lawyers on the matter.”
“The allegations that we beat them up and shot at them are not true. They even claimed that somebody died,” added Siyaya.
Also watch: UPDATE (VIDEO): Two IFP councillors arrested following violent protests in Vryheid
They said they will allow the law to take its course and that they will not divulge much, as the matter is sub judice.
When the four initially appeared in court in February last year, it was confirmed that they had handed themselves over to police without resistance and handed over their firearms for ballistic testing.
The violent protest was to demand answers from the municipality after a memorandum was handed over to the then mayor, Jerry Sibiya. The memorandum pinpointed alleged wrongdoing of IFP leaders, including allegations of fraud against the municipal manager and allegations of nepotism against the speaker. The protesters were also demanding the suspension of the Director of Corporate Services following an alleged Facebook post which they claim undermined people from the townships and the integrity of people living with HIV.
The three implicated municipal heads still occupy their positions and have not yet been found guilty of the allegations.
Meanwhile, Siyaya, Mbatha, Danisa and Mncwango are due to appear again in court on November 19.
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