O R Tambo ANC leaders claim torture

TWO former ANC leaders in the O R Tambo region, arrested after allegations of a plot to kill another party leader, yesterday claimed they were tortured by police.

Thandekile Sabisa, former OR Tambo chairman, and Lawrence Mambila, former deputy secretary, were arrested on Monday at OR Tambo district municipality’s Myezo Park offices in relation to the death of Zukile Nyontso, a bodyguard for current chairman Xolile Nkompela.

Nkompela has always maintained that the bullets that killed Nyontso were intended for him.

Nkompela and a second bodyguard narrowly escaped death when they were ambushed near Tsolo in Dec Nyontso had driving at the time.

More than seven bullet holes were found on the driver’s side and three in the rear right passenger door.

Nkompela first said he had received death threats early last year. However, police found no leads.

Monday’s arrests follow the arrest of a councillor in the Mhlontlo municipality last week.

Hawks national spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the two had been charged with conspiracy to murder both Nkompela and Nyontso.

The two prominent politicians have vehemently denied the charge and told the Daily Dispatch they had been “tortured while in police custody on Monday night”.

They are expected court today.

The Dispatch saw the two politicians late yesterday afternoon, and Mambila was on a drip as he waited at a doctor’s rooms.

He told the Dispatch their arrests seemed to be linked to the ANC’s leadership succession battle ahead of the much anticipated 2017 national conference.

Sabisa, who appeared dehydrated, said he was told of his impending arrest about a week before it happened. to appear in “We heard that there would be a meeting organised on Monday where we would be arrested but we decided to go anyway,” he said.

Sabisa led his region in backing ANC president Jacob Zuma when he contested against Thabo Mbeki at the Polokwane conference in 2007.

OR Tambo, the biggest ANC region in the country at the time, broke ranks with the rest of the province, which supported Mbeki.

The two were arrested while attending a meeting called by O R Tambo mayorNomakhosazana Meth at the municipal offices on Monday where – witnesses say – the police pounced on them, guns drawn, and led them away.

The Dispatch understands that other ANC leaders were present at the municipal offices when the arrests took place.

Sabisa’s lawyer, advocate Lwandile Singqumba, told the Dispatch of the alleged torture on Monday night.

Singqumba claimed that Mambila had been handcuffed and a plastic bag placed over his head. After this, he was beaten. Singqumba said the two were taken to Butterworth after their arrests and interrogated by 15 members of the Hawks.

He said the two were questioned about Nyontso’s shooting.

During the questioning, he said, they were told there were witnesses who had implicated them in the case.

“There is no evidence linking them to the matter but there is a motive to discredit them towards the upcoming list conference.

“One of them was assaulted during the time of questioning and another was told to take off his jacket and shirt during questioning.

“We are going to take further steps – the arrest and the subsequent detention were both unlawful.

“I can confirm that I have been given instructions to file a suit for unlawful arrest, defamation of character and malicious proceedings,” he said.

The Hawks’s Mulaudzi denied the torture claims.

He said the Hawks were a professional organisation and if there had been any torture during the interrogation the accused could raise such an allegation in court.

ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said they were shocked by the arrests.

“We were taken by surprised by these developments.

“We are still refusing to believe it. We will allow the court processes to conclude the matter in manner that will be pleasing to everyone.”