Helen Zille arrested 'apartheid-style'

2007-09-09 20:11

Johannesburg - Democratic Alliance leader and Cape Town mayor Helen Zille was arrested in the Cape Flats for participating in a legal march against drug lords, she told SABC radio on Sunday night.

"The last time I saw anything like this was under apartheid when I was taken in," Zille told the state broadcaster, stressing that several police had ignored arresting drug dealers, but arrested protesters.

She said she had been charged with attending an illegal gathering and would lodge a counter-claim of unlawful arrest.

"The police are being exposed for what they are. There are scores of police and the drug dealers are going ahead with their trade".

'Purely political agenda'

This included selling drugs to children.

She said the police were busy with a "purely political" agenda.

Zille said she had been gathering the names of witnesses during the march.

"It's a pity they don't arrest the drug merchants. Everybody knows where they ply their trade."

Western Cape police spokesperson Elliot Sinyangana said: "I cannot talk about it. We will release a statement".

DA finance spokesperson Douglas Gibson said Zille "has got the courage of a lion".

"To have a situation where the leader of the opposition party in South Africa is arrested for (participating in) a legal march against illegal drug lords shows what which way we are going in this country.

"They don't arrest the drug lords who are known to all, but they arrest Helen Zille."

- SAPA