ANC calls Marikana activist delusional
THE ANC has lashed out at Napoleon Webster‚ saying the Marikana housing and land activist is suffering from hallucinations.
Webster‚ who is accused of murder‚ among other offences, was recently released from prison on bail.
The activist has claimed that his criminal case had nothing to do with any murder but everything to do with his activism in Marikana‚ North West.
He blames the ANC‚ particularly Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ for his 202-day detention.
“This is a plot by Cyril [Ramaphosa] and his friends . . . to try [to] discourage activism in Marikana and to help mining companies to exploit us more.
“I was arrested because of my activism and was denied bail because of my activism‚” he said.
Webster was released on R3 000 bail last week after his lawyers took his bail application to the North West High Court.
He was arrested on January 6 and‚ with 13 others‚ charged with the murder of Sabata Petros Chale, 39‚ an ANC councillor‚ who was hacked to death in Marikana Extension 2 on December 8 last year.
Speaking at the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) in Johannesburg yesterday, Webster said he would not be silenced.
“It made sense that I was arrested and Cyril says he wants to come to Marikana.
“In 2016‚ when Jacob [Zuma] was supposed to give out houses‚ I mobilised the community of Marikana and we chased him away [as well as] premier [Supra Mahumapelo].
“We allocated ourselves the houses‚” he said.
Webster said he was not surprised that his bail conditions included a ban on going to Marikana‚ and said this prevented him from mobilising the community.
He insists he has a water-tight alibi and could prove his whereabouts around the time he was said to have been among those who killed Chale.
“I was meeting a Shoprite manager. There is video footage and the manager has agreed to testify to this‚” he said.
SERI litigation director Nomzamo Zondo said the institute was waiting for the docket to check what evidence there was against Webster.
“We will be able to assess it in full once we have all the information.”
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said Ramaphosa would be advised to take legal action against Webster.
“He is hallucinating. [Webster] must be challenged to prove [his claims]‚” he said.