Police Minister Bheki Cele has confirmed he had a “generic discussion” with EFF secretary general Marshall Dlamini about rising political tensions in Kwazulu-Natal but denied saying there was a plot to kill him.
He said he merely warned him and leaders of other parties, including the ANC and IFP, about political intolerance and threats against politicians who are involved in coalition talks in the province.
Cele briefed the media ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Cape Town, where he was bombarded with questions on the alleged assassination plot.
Earlier in the week, the EFF released a media statement in which they cited “reliable intelligence reports” indicating that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leaders were planning to kill Dlamini over the coalition deadlocks between the two parties in KwaZulu-Natal.
However, the South African Police Service (SAPS) reportedly said they knew nothing about such intelligence.
This prompted EFF leader Julius Malema to disclose his “source” publicly.
“Our Secretary General… was called by Minister of Police Mr Bheki Cele to inform him about the threat on his life by the IFP leadership,” said Malema. On Thursday morning Cele decided to clear the air.
He confirmed a threat against politicians, especially councillors involved in coalition talks amongst political parties, including the EFF, IFP, and ANC.
“The minister of police received information on the 30th of January from Nongoma that there is an intention of changing the government… (councillors) requested that there should be extra protection because they fear that their lives could be in danger.
“On the 4th (February) the minister of police was also briefed that leading to the elections and things that have happened, there might be a problem, there might be an escalation, and the rising of political temperature in the province.
“For that reason, there was a request that we engage the political leadership so that we are able to… work on prevention matters, (given) the history of the province well-known for political killings,” said Cele.
He confirmed phoning the political leaders of the ANC, IFP, and EFF.
“The rising of the political temperature was raised, (and) that is the information that was given to all political leaders. There is no other information that the minister had that goes to specific individuals as victims or perpetrators.
“The fact that the minister did not have that information (means that he) could not have conveyed that information that he doesn’t have… From the minister of police, it was a generic discussion of the rising of the political temperature,” said Cele.
The red berets insisted that Dlamini was a target of an IFP hit.
“The reliable intelligence reports illustrate that senior leaders of the IFP believe that our secretary general is solely responsible for the collective decision we took to initiate and support motions of no confidence against IFP mayors in several municipalities in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal,” said EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.
Thambo said there was a history of violent interactions allegedly involving IFP members.
“We call on the IFP, its leaders, and members to desist from using violence as a mechanism of settling political differences,” said Thambo.
The IFP rejected the assassination claims in response to the allegations, labelling them “vile misinformation”.
“Straight from the ANC People’s War Handbook the EFF woke up in SA with another dose of sensationalist, unsubstantiated, and fabricated allegations about the IFP allegedly plotting to assassinate Mr. Marshall Dlamini.
“This is classical historical ANC playbook stuff: false narratives, victimhood, and wherein they bring the security forces on-site and then accuse third parties of doing what they themselves are about to do.
“The EFF’s delusions of grandeur have come full circle in the face of a brewing internal revolt emanating from its decision to restore the ANC into power. The EFF exaggerated its influence, assuming its parting of ways with us would spell disaster for the IFP,” said IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
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