Friday 20 May 2016 20:41
Lucas Mothibedi
The second secretary of the SACP, Solly Mapaila has accused the Hawks of being captured by prominent political figures.(SABC)
The current underlying tension between, the Hawks, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, and most recently South African Communist Party (SACP), has lifted the lid for the need to scrutinise the independence of the Hawks. This is according to political analyst, Dr. Sethulego Matebesi.
The second secretary of the SACP, Solly Mapaila has accused the Hawks of being captured by prominent political figures such as head of the Hawks, Berning Ntlemeza.
Mapaila revealed that Ntlemeza has been mandated to harass communists, with the party's North West leader, the first target.
The communist party has recently come out with guns blazing on pertinent issues, such as the Gupta saga, the recent damming Constitutional court finding, regarding Nkandla, and most recently coming in support of Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan.
The SACP has also complained about the Tripartite Alliance, not being taken seriously. The party alleges that a special investigative crime unit is set to harass them.
The Hawks has since being denying that they are investigating Finance Minister,Pravin Gordhan
Second deputy secretary, Solly Mapaila, alleges that Ntlemeza was overheard revealing that he has been mandated to harass communists, with North West party secretary, Madoda Sambatha to be the second on the line.
Mapaila says: "He was talking about his new mandate to harass communists and he mentioned the name of comrade Somadoda Sambatha that he is first in the queue of the people that he will be dealing with and unknown to him he was seated next to one of our leaders whom he could not recognize."
"And in the context of what the Hawks are beginning to do, to be used as a political tool almost like what the scorpions where used for is something that we can never accept as the communist party. We have fought that kind of attitude and we will continue to fight against it even now."
The supposed first target by the Hawks, as alleged, North West SACP Secretary Sambatha, whose has been axed from provincial cabinet says the Hawks are being used by influential political figures.
Madoda Sambatha says: "I have taken that thing very serious. For him to say he is going to harass communist, and he is going to start with me is very unfortunate. My belief is that Hawks are used by dominant figures in the political spectrum and factions."
On the other hand, Haws spokesperson, Hangwani Molaudzi has denied the allegations saying the body is independent.
However, political analyst, Dr. Sethulego Matebesi, says there's more to this. He explains why he thinks Hawks officials are unable to be impartial.
"Most of our public servants, whether it's in the Hawks or police are also career politicians, they answer to politicians and they used this tactics of leaking information."
Meanwhile, the Hawks has since being denying that they are investigating Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan.
However, Sambatha refused to let this allegations slide, saying he will meet his party's leadership, to discuss the way forward.