An African National Congress (ANC) member of parliament was arrested for alleged stock theft, the party in the North West said on Tuesday.
Deputy provincial secretary Sussana Dantjie said Mapule Mafolo was arrested in Schweizer-Reneke.
She was arrested for allegedly stealing two calves in Schweizer-Reneke.
Dantjie said she and ANC Women’s League provincial secretary, Bridgette Tlhomelang, met Mafolo to hear her side of the story on behalf of the party on Tuesday.
"Cde Mapule was indeed arrested in Schweizer-Reneke together with Thabo Phutiyagae. According to her version of the story, Thabo Phutiyagae is her boyfriend of four years. He is unemployed, but in the business of buying and selling cows," Dantjie said.
"On the day that they were arrested, Cde Mapule had given Thabo a lift to an auction to sell two cows he said he bought from a colleague, only to find that the cows are allegedly stolen."
Dantjie said Mafolo was taken to Vryburg police station on January 12 and was released on warning on January 15.She appeared in court on January 15 and the matter was postponed to February 19.
"As much as we respect that the accused remains innocent until proven otherwise, we condemn the involvement of our members in any sorts of crime and we get satisfied as a party if they go through the justice system processes and their names are cleared," Dantjie said.
"We believe as the ANC that the law must take its course, even though Cde Mapule claims that she is innocent as she was only giving her partner a lift."
- African News Agency (ANA)
