DURBAN: Agitated National Freedom Party (NFP) leaders have been advised to approach the Hawks to investigate allegations that “certain political parties” had a hand in having their party disqualified from participating in the elections.
Party MP and national executive committee member Munzoor Shaik Emam told Cape Times sister newspaper, The Mercury yesterday the “highest rank in the police” had advised his party’s lawyers to approach the Hawks.
Emam said the party was also considering asking the Electoral Court to deregister parties if they were found to be involved in sabotaging the NFP.
Emam said the party’s ongoing internal investigation had revealed that suspended national treasurer Xolani Ndlovu had conspired with “other political parties” to sabotage the NFP’s registration for the elections.
“The matter is going to be handed over to the Hawks. For now we are busy trying to get hold of our treasurer.
"There is an internal investigation and as soon as we are able to confirm that indeed there is sabotage, we will make an announcement,” he said.
Since the day it emerged that the party had been disqualified after paying its registration fees late, Ndlovu has not been available on his phone.
Emam said repeated attempts to contact him had been futile.
“He (Ndlovu) has disappeared from the face of the earth. That is why a police investigation should be brought into this,” he said.
Emam said the party was working round the clock to prepare legal documents to convince the Constitutional Court there had been a conspiracy to prevent its “millions” of supporters from voting.
He said the party was also preparing to return to the Electoral Court to have “parties” involved in sabotaging the NFP disqualified from participating in the elections.
“The evidence does point in the direction that there is a link between our treasurer and other political parties. We are further investigating the link of other members as well,” he said.
However, he declined to name the parties involved or say how many were involved.
“I don’t want to disclose further information as this might have a bearing on the outcome of the investigation,” he said.
Emam said the party was concerned about running out of time as the elections would take place in three weeks’ time.
“But in any event we are approaching the Constitutional Court for relief.
“We will be filing late today (Monday) or early tomorrow morning,” he said.
NFP supporters took to the streets in Nongoma and Ulundi last week after allegations emerged the IFP had been involved in the matter.
IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi has vehemently denied the allegations.