Parties angered over KZN camp

2008-10-03 18:47

Durban - Opposition political parties in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday strongly criticised the police's apparent inaction at closing down a paramilitary camp in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The camp, whose members are allegedly aligned with the African National Congress, is located near an abandoned youth rehabilitation centre in the Vuma area, about 15km west of Eshowe.

Details of the camp and what training was being undertaken were not immediately known, but IFP national organiser Albert Mncwango said he had told police about the camp last month.

"I have raised this with the provincial police commissioner last month and he has not responded. This group is doing exactly the same work as the Mlaba camp was alleged to be doing," said Mncwango.

"I am very disappointed with the manner in which police are acting. They are allowing themselves to be used as pawns for the ruling party and this is precisely what the apartheid government did - use the police for their own political ends."

He said members of the Mlaba camp were arrested because of their affiliation to the IFP.

"Yet police are turning a bind eye to this camp because they are affiliated to the ANC."

In August of 452 people were arrested at Camp Mlaba near the Hluhluwe-Mfolozi game reserve. The members of that camp, who were alleged to be affiliated with the Inkatha Freedom Party's former self-defence units, were charged for contravening the Criminal Law Second Amendment Act of 1992. It prohibits the training of people for "the conducting of any military, paramilitary or similar operation".

ANC provincial secretary Senzo Mchunu said he was aware the camp, but denied allegations of ANC involvement.

"Even though those people are claiming to be ANC, they are not. We did not create that camp," he said.

Mchunu said he visited the camp in March last year.

"We found that somebody was training and recruiting these guys, but it was not the ANC. We also found that the vast majority of them did not qualify for the military, even though they claimed to be soldiers."

Mchunu said he had told people in the camp that the only way to join the military was to apply for military posts by filling out a form.

The Democratic Alliance's provincial caucus leader Roger Burrows said: "It's totally unacceptable that any military or paramilitary force connected to whichever political party is being trained.

"The MEC for Safety and Security Bheki Cele needs to immediately stamp down on this, close these camps and charge those involved. This must be seen to be fair, transparent, and open- handed."

He said that if Cele did not move to close the Vuma camp, it would suggest that "he is protecting his own political party".

Provincial police spokesperson Director Phindile Radebe said she could not immediately confirm whether provincial commissioner Hamilton Ngidi had been informed of the camp.

- SAPA