The IFP has accused police of “repulsive” behaviour after the arrest of its members in Umlazi, near Durban, on Sunday.
Four IFP members were arrested in Umlazi’s T section after they allegedly stoned buses and cars ferrying ANC supporters to a rally in the former IFP stronghold.
The ANC alleged that the IFP supporters had fired shots to try to disrupt the rally.
But IFP national organiser Albert Mncwango said on Tuesday that he had received reports that the police had launched an “unprovoked attack” on the IFP supporters.
“Our members were injured in full view of the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), which was present in Umlazi to monitor the police action. No amount of tension justified the police’s repulsive behaviour,” Mncwango said.
He said his party was seeking answers from National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele as to why its members were “subjected to police brutality in full view of those who are expected to stop such abuses”.
The ICD rejected claims that its members had observed the incident.
ICD national spokesman Moses Dlamini said: “As the ICD we do not observe rallies, we only act when there has been a complaint. I have checked with our offices in Durban and they are not aware of this.”
He said the IFP had not lodged a formal complaint with the ICD and advised the party to do so if it wanted an investigation of the police’s conduct.
The IFP, however, insisted that the ICD had been present, saying it had received this information from a source “within the police”.
“We take exception that the ICD would preside over the attack of our people. We don’t condone what our supporters did, but there was no reason for this kind of brutality to be meted out by the police,” Mncwango said.
Inflammatory
He also accused the ANC of using inflammatory language at its rally, saying that Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane had referred to the IFP as a dead snake.
“This kind of hate speech can only stir tension… Although we condemn violence of any kind, it is understandable that some IFP supporters became agitated during Sunday’s gathering.
“We call on our members to remain disciplined, but we also call on the ANC to stop their inflammatory hate speech.”
Mokonyane, who was one of the key speakers at the rally, had reportedly said, “We refuse to be threatened by a dead snake”, in a reference to the IFP.
She apparently said this in condemnation of the behaviour of the IFP members.
The ANC condemned the conduct of the IFP supporters, calling their behaviour a display of “political thuggery”.
The ANC thanked the police for their “firmness and vigilance”.
“We hope the wheels of justice will move swiftly and those who tried to prevent ANC supporters from exercising their right to meet and celebrate the outcome of a free election will be dealt with harshly”
Captain Thulani Zwane, the police spokesman in KwaZulu-Natal, said the four people who were arrested were released on bail after appearing in court on Monday. They are due back in court on July 28. - Daily News