Johannesburg – The South African Communist Party has condemned in the strongest terms possible the behaviour of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) through the despicable conduct of their officials, in particular Brigadier Nyameka Xaba and company, who reportedly caused a hostage scene earlier this month at the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
“The SACP is calling on all democratic South Africans to reject and fight against corporate-capture, abuse of state institutions, including private or factional use of public power, corruption, and rent-seeking,” the party said in a statement.
The video material showing aspects of the alleged hostage drama, with senior SARS employee Vlok Symington held against his will, reflected the rebounding not only of the apartheid era security branch style of work but the reassertion of its operatives in the police service, the SACP said.
The Hawks officers can be seen and heard arguing with Symington, from whom they were trying to confiscate sensitive documents related to SARS commissioner Tom Moyane’s role in the fraud investigation into Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
“It is clear that they are now discrediting our nascent democratic institutions from within by means of apartheid era security branch style of work and thus weaken them in pursuit of private or factional agendas or the rotten interests of parasitic elite and their corporate-capturers,” the SACP said.
This had clearly been exposed for all to see by its own unravelling in pursuit of Gordhan at all cost through the appalling manner involving the improper behaviour of the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Xaba is the Hawks’ lead investigator in the case against Gordhan.
National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams now had more reasons to drop the prosecution and stop the persecution of Gordhan. This would save the integrity of the NPA.
The SACP noted that a complaint had been laid with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in relation to the alleged hostage drama.
“Based on our own experience relating to matters of jurisdiction and associated technicalities, as the SACP, we would advice Symington to also lay a complaint with the Office of the Judge of the Hawks.
“Meanwhile, the Hawks must immediately take action against the unbecoming conduct of its officers and SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane must come clean in relation to his involvement in the hostage scandal,” the SACP said.
African News Agency