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Durban – The EFF suffered violent political intolerance from the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal since its formation five years ago, the party testified on Friday.
The EFF told the Moerane Commission – which is investigating underlying causes in political killings in KwaZulu-Natal – that its members had been victims of gruesome assaults, especially during election periods.
"Not only have we been refused public venues like community halls, sports grounds, and open spaces, at times our members, merely for wearing red berets have been victims of gruesome assaults. Above all are coordinated forms of disruption of our public meetings, particularly during elections time," testified EFF deputy secretary general Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi.
The EFF delegation, including national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, accused police of turning a blind eye when ANC members attack EFF members.
"Reporting cases to the law enforcement agencies yields no fruit, there are never arrests or any resolutions of cases," said Mkhaliphi.
She claimed ANC members were "politically intolerant people" who found it so easy to hurt black people.
Radical transformation of policing proposed
"We know for sure that their influence often extends to the very police who often do not act when ANC people disrupt meetings. They often stand on the side and watch as publicly approved meetings of the EFF get disrupted violently by the ANC," Mkhaliphi submitted.
She said the ANC had failed to resolve violence through the police since 1994, when it took charge of state apparatuses.
"We are of the opinion that it is because it is perpetrated by themselves. In historic terms, we were all led to believe that it is the IFP that was violently intolerant, and the ANC was the one fighting for a free, peaceful, inclusive and democratic South Africa.
"Having formed only five years ago, 19 years after democracy, it is not the IFP that is violently intolerant to political contestation against us, it is the ANC," Mkhaliphi told the commission led by Advocate Marumo Moerane.
The EFF submitted that there had to be radical transformation of policing in KwaZulu-Natal which would remove police from the bribery system of both politicians and criminal gangs in general.
"There has to be thorough treatment of murder as a criminal issue once a life is taken. There must be resolution and justice, regardless of who it is. Do not treat politicians as though they are exceptional," said Ndlozi.
He said the killings of politicians in KwaZulu-Natal should be treated just like any other criminal matter.
Fighting over resources
"They are killing each other over control of funds and tenders, not ideological differences. They should be treated like any other criminals who kill for cellphones and clothes," Ndlozi said.
He added that there had to be a police campaign to recover all illegal arms in KwaZulu-Natal. "There is clear evidence that too many weapons are easily accessible."
The party denied that the killings at the notorious Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi were politically motivated.
"They are fighting over control of government resources," said Vusi Khoza, an EFF member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
The commission was adjourned until Monday.
