DA must purge itself of gang sympathisers

10 June 2015

The ANC is disturbed by councillor Desmond Jaftha’s plea for leniency for convicted gangster Riyaaz Dennis (accused No 19) who was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for murder and other serious related violent crime charges, and Japtha’s continued holding of office as a DA councillor, leading a sub-council in Kuils River as a chairperson, and under the leadership rule of the Western Cape DA leader and mayor Patricia de Lille.

The ANC noted that Jaftha was only last night temporarily suspended pending an internal DA disciplinary hearing after provincial DA leader De Lille announced last week that he was suspended!

Judge Chantel Fortuin correctly expressed her shock that a representative of the people would align himself with a vicious murderer and gangster and that he would go so far as to plea for mercy for Dennis. Convicted murderer Dennis was a high ranking member of the notorious 28’s gang under George “Geweld” (violence) Thomas. DA councillor Willie Japhta argued for a lighter sentence by pointing to the fact that his son had gone to school with Dennis.

Japhta placed on record his support for the convicted murderer Dennis saying the community has never complained about the accused whom the court had found to have shown no remorse for his actions. In delivering her sentence the judge, deplored the actions of the councillor saying it is absolutely shocking that an elected councillor, who must carry forth the good norms and values of the community and must see to it that the streets are free of crime, that such an elected person offers a good word for a person who is found guilty of serious crimes, including murder.

Jaftha’s shameful and cruel move reflects on moral bankruptcy and on the DA has shown disdain to our communities.

The ANC has consistently questioned the ease with which the DA coddles and protects the gangs in the city, paying them and ensuring that they stay in business. It is clear there is a quid pro quo between the gangs and the DA because the only way to explain the actions of this councillor is that he owed “Geweld” and his men a huge favour and felt compelled to risk everything for them.

Whilst blood is spilling on the Cape Flats, between rival gangs and the ease with which they have access to weapons, ammunition and money can only be explained by these evil relationships between those who are supposed to protect our communities, and those who are hell bent on destroying communities.

We the ANC condemns such behaviour as it goes against everything a political leader should stand for. The time has come for the DA to choose sides, either they are with the people, serving their interest and protect them from harm or they find the gang violence profitable and beneficial to deliver them votes, through selling fear and sowing destruction in communities.

We call for the summarily recall of Jaftha and for an extensive enquiry of his involvement and of all DA councillors who are involved with gangs in Cape Town, such as the likes of councillor Anthony Moses in Heideveld who over the weekend stopped the community crime march against gangsters and councillor Melanie Arendse who is married into the Mongrels gang family operating in the Ottery area.

The ANC Western Cape says mayor De Lille must also be subjected to scrutiny for her averred involvement with a gang boss.

In recent times it was moreover revealed that DA leaders in the Cape Town knew of their contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) as gangsters were illegally paid for ‘protection’ at city construction sites and did not report this to SAPS - even after six months!

The DA’s mafia-like dealings and corruptive relations with gangsters seems to be a trend. The question now for De Lille is: Is she prepared to also subject herself to a full investigation for receiving donation(s) amounting to R300 000 and the use of taxis as was alleged in an affidavit to the Cape High Court a decade ago by DA MPL Lennit Max?

What will be done to those DA councillors who did not report the Poca breaches at housing contracts after they became aware of it? What is she going to do about DA councillor Barbara Ras who refused to testify in aggravation against the Atlantis Fancy Boys gang of Mallick Petersen when they were sentenced in the High Court?

Is she prepared to act against other senior DA leaders who have public liaison with known hardened criminal gangster bosses like Saliem John and Ernie Lastig Solomons? Is she also going to act against those of the city gang programme Seize Fire who also asked for the release on parole of certain sentenced gang members like in the case of Nigel Johnson?!

The DA must now act consistently and publicly say what its stance is towards hardened criminals like murderers, rapist and robbers in the drug trade and gang underworld. If the DA does not come out firm against all of these, we will have to assume it is soft on gangsters and their crimes.

Statement issued by Rhoda Bazierm, ANC Western Cape, June 10 2015