Durban — The King Cetshwayo District Municipality (KCDM) in KwaZulu-Natal has taken legal action against the police for illegally impounding two vehicles in a convoy that escorted IFP premier candidate and KCDM mayor Thami Ntuli.
There was drama last week when police pulled over Ntuli’s convoy on the N2 in Durban. Ntuli had just finished a radio interview.
Police said they stopped the vehicles because Ntuli was using blue lights without permission. The police impounded two vehicles “fitted with blue lights without permission”.
On Sunday, Ntuli said police were acting on political instruction, saying the intention was to derail his successful election campaign in KZN.
If the blue lights were the only issue, police were not going to disarm his bodyguards and search his bag, he said. The municipality’s attorneys were handling the matter. Ntuli is the IFP premier candidate for the elections.
“This was a political ploy to derail my election campaign. Police were acting on political instruction. They were sent by our detractors to scare me and disrupt my campaign. We are taking legal action for the illegal impounding of our cars. If we did something wrong why was no case opened against us? Even today (Sunday) there was an attempt to prevent my rally in uMzimkhulu.”
Ntuli, who is also an IFP chairperson in the province, said all mayors use blue lights, so he did not understand why the police targeted him, which made him believe it was a political ploy.
His sentiments were echoed by his party which also condemned the action, calling on law enforcement agencies to remain non-partisan.
To bolster the claims of political conspiracy, Ntuli said he has since been informed that police officers were waiting for him at the radio station’s parking lot during the interview.
He claimed a senior police officer was listening to his interview and liaising with the others about his movement. They were stopped while not even flashing blue lights, he said.
IFP leader in the provincial legislature, Blessed Gwala, warned police to stay out of politics.
“Police must be apolitical while discharging their duties. What happened to our KZN premier candidate is a clear indication that the police in KZN have joined fighting political battles using state resources.
“The IFP premier candidate for KZN, councillor Ntuli, is not a criminal, nor a drug dealer, a serial killer, or a rapist. He has never stolen a cent from public funds. There are many government officials, including ANC SG (secretary-general) Fikile Mbalula, who are cruising at high speeds on our highways using blue lights, but he has never been harassed by the police.”
However, the ANC in eThekwini commended the action of the police.
Police defended their action, saying they were on routine patrol on the N2 when they stopped three vehicles.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the drivers of the vehicles failed to produce a permit or authority to have their vehicles fitted with blue lights and they were duly impounded.
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Daily News