Cape Town - The ANC in the Western Cape has hit out at a Sunday Times report alleging that and Mitchells Plain police station commander Brigadier Cass Goolam face charges of kidnapping, torture and defeating the ends of justice.
The party said it was "obviously another round fired in the DA-driven smear campaign against one of South Africa’s must decent and outstanding police officers". It said the "report was published in a hysterical manner and based on information from so-called police sources".
"We know who these unknown sources are. They are the same ones who have for years been feeding the DA information calculated to destroy the integrity of dedicated members of Umkhonto we Sizwe who have become beacons of decency and integrity in the police service,” said Faiez Jacobs, the ANC's Western Cape secretary.
"The attacks against Vearey and others, such as national Crime Intelligence head General Peter Jacobs, the officer commanding the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) in the Province Major-General Andre Lincoln and former Hawks leader Anwar Dramat have in the past come from Helen Zille and now from the hapless Alan Winde.
"The latest one is straight out of the rulebook of the DA’s hero Donald Trump who thrives on innuendo, lies and deceit."
With regard to Vearey, Jacobs said: "We understand why this is happening now despite the Director of Public Prosecutions having refused to prosecute Vearey over these allegations. The DA wanted to build their election strategy in the Western Cape on crime and boast how they would fight it. But the formation of the AGU and its record of turning the war against criminals around do not sit well with the DA. And like a poor loser it now wants to destroy the officers who are making our communities safer. Not for a moment do we believe the allegations against Vearey are true; they are nothing more than malicious trumped up rumours."
He added: "We are on record as praising officers such as Jeremy Vearey, Andre Lincoln, Anwa Dramat and Peter Jacobs. We have seen them willing to sacrifice their lives in the noble cause of freedom for all our people. When the call came in a free and democratic South Africa for them to make our communities safer, they became part of SAPS. They have our support, confidence and immense respect."
According to Jacobs, another reason for the onslaught against Vearey is that he has asked for an investigation into DA Western Cape premier candidate Alan Winde to be reopened.
"The smear campaign against Vearey is a blatant and desperate move to stop this investigation. We repeat our demand that the Hawks investigate Winde for alleged sedition committed in Plettenberg Bay. He and the DA can try and obfuscate his actions as much as they want, but we are certain that an investigation will earn him his day in court on real charges. We’re waiting for that day."