ActionSA has come out strongly in defence of its Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate and councillor Xolani Khumalo after he handed himself over to police and was charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and pointing a firearm.
“Why would we suspend a person who fights criminals on the word of a criminal?” asked ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont. “We are not going to do that. In fact, we are going to campaign harder, because if this is what he does as an ordinary citizen, imagine if he becomes mayor.”
Khumalo’s charges arise from an incident involving a suspected drug dealer who had previously been arrested for possession of unlicensed ammunition but released without facing charges.
Beaumont criticised police for pursuing Khumalo instead of focusing on criminals.
“We believe there are charges that have been laid, but they were laid by a suspected drug dealer who was arrested last year, found with unlicensed illegal ammunition and inexplicably released by the police,” he said.
“It is ironic that police would allow drug dealers to go free but act on the charges those drug dealers lay against activists like Xolani Khumalo, who are fighting for our communities.”
“We are working to make him a mayor because what Ekurhuleni needs is a mayor that fights crime, not a criminal mayor — and that is what we are going to deliver.”
— Michael Beaumont, ActionSA national chair
ActionSA leader Funzi Ngobeni confirmed that Khumalo had been detained by police and was expected to appear in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Monday.
“He has been charged. He must appear in court so we can make a bail application,” said Ngobeni.
Beaumont defended Khumalo’s actions, saying they were in the interest of community safety.
“We are quite confident that Xolani has acted on the right side of the law in respect to these issues. We are dealing with dangerous drug dealers who break the law, deal drugs to children and require intervention. South Africans are fed up with discussions about the rights of drug dealers while the rights of ordinary people are ignored,” he said.
Khumalo, a well-known public figure, has gained national attention through a television programme Sizok’thola which focuses on confronting crime and exposing criminal syndicates.
This is not Khumalo’s first alleged run-in with the law. Last yearhe faced charges for allegedly beating Katlehong resident Robert Varrie to death during an interrogation on the show but the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
“Those charges were ultimately dropped in court. It shows the behaviour that exists within some law enforcement agencies, where corrupt police members protect criminals and target individuals like Xolani Khumalo. The difference now is he is joined with ActionSA, forming a partnership that will work powerfully for communities.” said Beaumount.
Beaumont added that Khumalo’s anti-crime stance makes him an ideal candidate for mayor.
“We are working to make him a mayor because what Ekurhuleni needs is a mayor that fights crime, not a criminal mayor — and that is what we are going to deliver.”
TimesLIVE