ZIWAPHI • VOL 4 NO 7 • 9 - 22 APRIL 2010
NELSPRUIT
The arrest of James Nkambule, Ehlanzeni regional chairperson of COPE, has caused serious divisions within the party in Mpumalanga.
Nkambule was arrested on charges of defeating the ends of justice and fraud two weeks ago and released on R8 000 bail last Wednesday.
On Saturday, Ehlanzeni regional secretary Bheki Malaza opened a case of theft against fellow party member Murrel Zitha and provincial COPE Youth chairperson Sibusiso Shakwane after a laptop that had been used by Nkambule was removed from the party’s office in Nelspruit.
“The two comrades went into our offices on Tuesday and took a laptop without authorisation from the party. They told a volunteer in the office that the computer was wanted by the police who are investigating James. After consultation with COPE nationally and provincially, I was advised to open a case of theft against the two comrades,” said Malaza on Monday.
“There are proper channels that should have been followed by the police if they wanted the computer, like submitting a formal request to the leadership of the party. What the comrades did was pure theft. Maybe James is right to claim that there are some comrades who are selling him out,” he added.
In a statement last week, Shakwane accused Nkambule of being “a malicious liar, traitor and a political reject”.
“Nkambule is so desperate for political attention that he’s gone as far as fabricating a hit man and a hit list. To us he is nothing but a political reject, peddler of lies and a political scavenger who belongs to the political dustbin of history,” said Shakwane.
Provincial COPE spokesperson John Nkuna said Shakwane and Zitha were arrested on Saturday and released on warning. He described their arrest as unfortunate and an “internal misunderstanding”.
“The computer in question was not stolen. Shakwane gave it to the police after they requested it as part of their investigation against James. Maybe the comrade who opened the theft case was just trying to settle some personal scores,” said Nkuna on Monday.
Zitha and Shakwane are expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. They were not available for comment
COPE members arrested for computer ‘theft’