Cape Town - The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape on Wednesday opened a docket for criminal investigation into the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Dan Plato and whom the ANC called Plato’s “dubious sources”.
“What he is doing is immoral. He has put lives in danger and he is smearing the ANC’s name,” said member of the ANC provincial executive Rhoda Bazier.
“We are not tolerating this anymore,” she said.
Brazier went to the Cape Town Central Police Station on Wednesday to lay the charge.
In addition to being a senior member of the DA in the province, Plato is also the MEC for Community Safety.
Most recently, Plato has been at the centre of an alleged politician-versus-police dispute, centred around one of Plato’s informers and allegations against provincial top cop Major-General Jeremy Vearey.
According to an affidavit leaked to the media, Vearey is alleged to have accepted a bribe in the millions from Czech fugitive Radovan Krejicir, as well as conducting criminal activities on behalf of gang members. Vearey has denied all of the allegations and has indicated he would welcome an investigation into the matter.
In this same period, the ANC threw its weight behind Vearey who is also a former ANC Umkhonto we Sizwe fighter (MK) and bodyguard to late President Nelson Mandela.
Bazier said that the affidavit was made in Plato’s office and should have been conveyed to the police speedily.
“Instead, Plato determined that he would leak the information to embarrass the ANC,” she said.
Bazier said this, the naming of Vearey in the affidavit and allegedly leaking of it to media, put Vearey’s life in danger, resulting in a breach of Plato’s oath of office to protect and serve.
“You don’t put police officials’ lives in danger. This contributes to police killings,” she said.
Bazier said the ANC were hoping the Hawks and the Public Prosecutor would “thoroughly investigate” the matter.
At the time of writing, Plato was in a meeting and unavailable for comment.
African News Agency