Opposition parties had hoped to meet with Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile
WESTERN Cape opposition parties slammed Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembilise Patekile for cancelling a meeting to discuss the JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg investigations.
In a joint statement the opposition parties in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, the African National Congress (ANC), GOOD Party, Economic Freedom Fighters EFF, Freedom Front Plus (FF+), and Patriotic Alliance (PA) said Patekile backtracked on his initial agreement to meet with them.
The politicians had requested Patekile to clarify the raids on the offices of Mayco Member for Safety and Security Smith and energy head Limberg that took place at the Civic Centre on 24 January.
The statement reads: “During a telephone conversation on Thursday, the meeting was confirmed for Monday, 3 February 2025.
“However, the next day, members of the opposition received a letter informing them that General Patekile would be unable to meet with opposition parties due to the ‘sensitive nature of the investigation’.
“We made it very clear that we do not wish to engage with SAPS on the merits of the case against Cape Town MMC’s JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg... but rather to unpack the DA narrative of an alleged political plot and the potential of an SAPS leak.
“We believe that sharing details of the case with any political party is against the principle of justice.
“Therefore, not only is this response from General Patekile extremely disappointing but it is confusing as SAPS had no issues briefing Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, a member of the DA, on the actual details of the investigation.“
The opposition leaders added the allegations made by Smith and DA dik ding Helen Zille raised serious questions about the integrity of the investigation and the possibility of political interference in the work of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The SACP Brian Brunting District secretary Monde Nqulwana called on the Hawks raid the offices of the Mayor, adding: “The use of city structures to cover for corrupt officials must be unmasked and dismantled by the DA.”