Marxist books row divides the comrades

Grahamstown Unemployed People's Movement chairman Ayanda Kota (left) and Rhodes University politics lecturer Richard Pithouse outside the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court where Kota was charged yesterday. Picture: MIKE LOEWE

Grahamstown Unemployed People's Movement chairman Ayanda Kota (left) and Rhodes University politics lecturer Richard Pithouse outside the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court where Kota was charged yesterday. Picture: MIKE LOEWE

Published Jan 19, 2012

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Grahamstown: A row between a leading academic and a local anti-poverty activist has rocked Grahamstown and led to an alleged police beating.

The fracas began after Rhodes University sociology lecturer Dr Claudia Martinez-Mullen, who is from Argentina, laid charges of theft against local Unemployed People’s Movement chairman, Ayanda Kota, 35, which led to the allleged beating outside the office of the town’s police commander.

In the latest development yesterday, Martinez-Mullen said she was withdrawing charges and Kota said he would be drawing up a civil claim against the police.

Last November, Martinez-Mullen asked the police to charge Kota, 35, for theft of three of her books, The Communist Manifesto; The Antonio Gramsci Reader: Selected Writings 1916-1935 and The Marx-Engels Reader.

In an interview, Martinez-Mullen described how she and the SA poet Dennis Brutus had “loved” each other and spent almost every day together in his last year, and that Brutus had inscribed the books that were taken and not returned – despite “over 30 requests” to Kota to do so.

But anti-poverty organisations and politicians slammed both Martinez-Mullen and the Grahamstown police for the alleged beating last Thursday night.

Rhodes politics lecturer and UPM supporter Richard Pithouse said up to six policemen punched and kicked Kota to the ground in front of him while he was trying to protect Kota’s screaming six-year-old son, Sibe Frene.

Pithouse and Kota went to the station at the request of the investigating officer, a “Constable Zulu”, but said that on arrival Zulu was “aggressive” and immediately grabbed Kota and tried to handcuff him – an action which Rhodes Dean of Humanities, Professor Fred Hendricks, who rushed to the station soon after, found abhorrent and questionable.

Since when did police arrest people for “not returning borrowed books?”, he asked. “It does not add up.”

Pithouse and Kota said Kota was trying to show Zulu SMSes he had sent to Martinez-Mullen, promising to return or replace the books, when Zulu grabbed Kota, causing him to raise his arm “in defence”.

This sparked a fracas outside the office of Grahamstown station commander Brigadier Morgan Govender’s office, which saw furniture “flying” and left Govender’s secretary sobbing.

They say up to six officers piled in. Kota says he dropped to the ground where the kicking continued until, says Pithouse, Kota was “subdued”.

Kota says Zulu also grabbed his grey flannel trousers and pulled them around his knees. As Kota lay on the ground an officer allegedly said: “Look who is the (Grocott’s Mail) newsmaker of the year now!”

Kota was then made to shuffle to a cell with his pants around his knees, in front of his son, the activists said.

The Grahamstown police “emphatically” denied “any act of brutality”.

Local police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said organisations claiming a “barbaric and cowardly” attack on the activist were wrong. She says the investigating officer was “effecting the arrest in accordance within the confines of the law”.

She claimed Kota “allegedly borrowed one book and stole two others from the home of the victim”.

The complaint was investigated and prosecutors decided to press on. “This entails arresting the suspect and bringing him before court.”

Govender claims “several attempts” were made to “contact and trace the suspect”.

Kota said he was very well known to the police, pointing to his history as chairman of the Youth Citizen Police Forum (CPF) and role in the adult CPF, his public position as chair of the Makana Local Soccer Association and his high profile as head of the 2 000-strong UPM, which has campaigned for housing.

Other police sources claimed Kota was “arrogant” and “generally unpleasant” in the station before the incident.

However, when Kota appeared before regional court magistrate Ronnie Lesele on Friday the police had no docket to show the court and Lesele knocked down the State’s bail request – despite agreement from defending attorney George Kahn – from R1 000 to R500.

Lesele sought clarity on the book charge of “Theft under false pretences” asking: “Were they stolen from a library?”

Kota is also charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

Kota emerged from court with a dark swelling on his neck and a blood stain on his chest. He also showed minor scratches from his handcuffs.

The case will be back in court on February 29, but Kota says has been examined by a doctor and that he and his attorney met today to discuss a civil claim against the police. - Cape Times

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