The ANC Youth League in Makana has responded angrily to suggestions that the party might have collaborated with the police in the alleged assault by police of prominent local activist, Ayanda Kota.
The ANC Youth League in Makana has responded angrily to suggestions that the party might have collaborated with the police in the alleged assault by police of prominent local activist, Ayanda Kota.
Police summoned Kota to the police station on 12 January, where they told him he was under arrest for the theft of three books from Rhodes University sociology lecturer, Claudia Martinez-Mullen.
It is alleged that Kota was beaten up by police after resisting arrest – a claim that sparked outrage among human rights activists and organisations nationally, and across the world. The ANC Youth League contacted this newspaper, following its publication of a letter, What's behind the scenes (Grocott's Mail, 24 January, Page 6).
In his letter, the writer, Philip Machanik, had said: I have in my possession a copy of a document that appears to have been an internal ANC discussion of how to discredit Ayanda Kota. I don't know if the document is authentic, but if it is, I wonder why the local structures of the ANC feel so threatened.
The letter said that if the ANC were using the police to further a vendetta against an opponent, this would be a clear case of misuse of government resources and abuse of power, and should attract the interest of the Public Protector.
ANC Youth League Makana sub-region Chairperson, Andile Hoyi, however, said what Machanick was suggesting was serious. These are serious allegations that need to be followed up, because the ANC has nothing to do with Kota's arrest.
If this document that he is talking about is available, he must take it to the Public Protector, as he says, Hoyi said. Hoyi, said it was disturbing that the police were quick to arrest Kota on a charge of stealing three books, while there were far more serious crimes that the police had failed to respond to.
He further said that Kota was not a threat to the ANC and never would be, suggesting that those implicating the ANC in Kota's harassment were trying to score political points. They must find another way and stop confusing the people of Makana, Hoyi said.
Commenting on the suggestion that there might be a vendetta against him, Kota said, If the rumours are true, that would not surprise me because I'm very unpopular to both police and some leaders of the ruling party. This is a marathon.
There are always casualties and one must be prepared to pay any price, whether it is being labelled as working for the DA, or being arrested. All of that is because of the route you have taken.
