Johannesburg - ActionSA has called the release of an alleged Primrose slumlord, an undocumented foreign national, irrational.
This comes after a woman by the name of Patricia Khoza exposed the real person behind the hijacking of buildings in and around Germiston just over two weeks ago.
Khoza is said to have been arrested on property damage charges after exposing the issue of hijacked buildings in the area and reporting her landlord, who is said to be behind many hijacked buildings in Germiston.
On Wednesday, after learning of the release of the landlord, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba said the release of the alleged culprit would put the life of the whistle-blower in harm’s way.
“ActionSA has just learnt that the Nigerian foreign national who stands accused of intimidation and harassment has now been released despite the serious charges levelled against him. This individual is also a slumlord who is alleged to have hijacked several buildings in Primrose, Ekurhuleni.
“His release puts Ms Patricia Khoza, who reported him, at risk. This is an outrage, appreciating that this man is a potential flight risk and can flee the country undetected as he is here illegally in the first instance,” Mashaba said.
At the time, “The Star” reported that after the landlord, who is an undocumented foreign national, was arrested, he opened a case of damage to property against Khoza, who was also arrested.
The leader of ActionSA said his party has since written to the SAPS as well as Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi to raise its concerns over the release of the Nigerian national.
“As such, ActionSA has tonight written to the South African Police Service (SAPS), Gauteng provincial police commissioner, and Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to urgently remedy this highly irregular state of affairs by no later than 17:00 tomorrow, January 24, 2023, or provide full reasons for not doing so.”
The alleged slumlord was arrested on Wednesday, January 11, after ActionSA was made aware of the individual and his alleged harassment and intimidation of tenants and requested that the Primrose SAPS address the matter.
It is reported that after his arrest, the alleged kingpin lodged a complaint against the woman who raised concern for damaging his property and she was arrested despite the man illegally occupying the property in the first place.
Mashaba said this showed the SAPS’s incompetence and disinterest in treating the matter with the gravity it deserves, adding that ActionSA has also filed a complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) over the bad treatment Khoza received at the hands of the SAPS.
“This again highlights the rogue elements that exist within the SAPS and who are influenced by illegal elements, where a complainant who has laid a charge of harassment and intimidation against an illegal occupier is in turn charged and arrested.
“We have since laid an official complaint with Ipid concerning the irregular treatment of Ms Khoza, as well as that of a second complainant who is similarly a victim of the misdeeds of what is factually an illegal immigrant who continues to break our country’s laws with impunity,” Mashaba said.
Mashaba said ActionSA’s lawyers were able to secure Khoza’s release; however, the man’s release from custody has made her vulnerable to attacks and threats.
The Star