ICD to probe ANCYL conference

2010-06-22 07:51

Johannesburg - The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) will assess a complaint from the DA on whether police acted improperly at the ANC Youth League's conference in Makhado, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Police allegedly acted on ANCYL president Julius Malema's instructions to use excessive force to clamp down on rival delegates at the conference in April.

ICD spokesperson Moses Dlamini said the ICD would assess whether to investigate the matter, or to refer it to the South African police management.

"If there are criminal offences involved we will investigate it. If it is a command and control issue we will refer it to the police," said Dlamini.

Malema allegedly ordered police to use excessive force on delegates when a large group opposed his leadership. The group was pushed out of the hall by police, who used rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse them.

Democratic Alliance police MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard sent a formal complaint to the ICD on Monday, calling for proper investigations into the matter.

The DA wanted police to explain why they removed rival delegates from the provincial conference.

She accused the police of breaching the SA Police Service Act.

The act stipulated that police should not undertake political activities, display support for a particular political body, or act to further any party-political interests, she said.

- SAPA