The ANC in the Amathole District said the pending arrest of its regional secretary and others was an attempt to disrupt the upcoming local government election.
ANC Amathole Regional Secretary, Teris Ntutu, issued a statement Sunday saying that he's heard of his imminent arrest and that of several other officials.
"Be the information accurate or not, the very suggestion of such repeated outrageous interventions speaks to grim political expediency; and reckless and malicious intent to cause maximum disruption in the execution of critical leadership in the final run-up to the local government elections, following the outcomes of the recent Regional List Conference," Ntutu said.
"No doubt the subverters are also attempting to unduly and irregularly and inappropriately influence the upcoming Regional Conference scheduled for November, and ultimately also the Provincial Conference scheduled for December.”
“I am a servant of the people of the Amathole District and I am committed to promote, and have every confidence in, the democracy upheld by the Constitution born of the blood of South African heroes. Therefore I have nothing to fear, but for the neglect of the people I have the pleasure and duty to serve, he said.
Ntutu said the ANC in Amathole District would present a petition to the Hawks Monday.
"We are aware of plans to further harass Amathole leaders by Hawks intervention. Such capture of the machinery of state can under no circumstances be allowed or be tolerated ...", he added.
The move follows last week's very public arrest of Amathole District Municipality mayor, Nomasikizi Khonza, and several others on charges of fraud involving a reported R6m.
They appeared in court where they were granted bail. They will be back in court on the 18th of July.
In a statement Friday, mayor Khonza said said that she and her co-accused would muster all legal and other resources at their disposal to counter the charges.
Khonza also questioned the timing of what she said was a well-orchestrated event by the Hawks.
"The fact that these arrests were effected and a court appearance facilitated at the exact time when the Provincial List Committee was presenting to the National List Committee here in the province, speaks volumes to the political plot of embarrassing and discrediting us in the public domain to cause irreparable damage to our political careers,"she said.
Khonza said she and her co-accused were "innocent" of the charges.
