30th January 2009

News reports that President Kgalema Motlanthe has bowed under pressure from his political masters at Luthuli House by approving two pieces of legislation dissolving the Scorpions, is indeed a dark day for democracy in South Africa, the Inkatha Freedom Party said today.

"The Scorpions' successful track record spoke for itself. By dissolving the Scorpions as an independent crime fighting unit, it once again shows the extent to which the ANC will go to push its own agenda, against the wishes of most South Africans. From the start, the disbandment of this elite unit has had very little to do with bolstering our fight against crime, and everything to do with a political vendetta against them," said Mr Velaphi Ndlovu, the IFP Safety and Security Spokesperson.  

Ndlovu said that the ruling party is guilty of abusing power and undermining democracy. 

"In spite of all the ruling party's talk about democracy, our Republic is at Risk, as the ANC continues to fail in separating its own interests from those of the State.  It attacks the judiciary when it pleases, abuses the state broadcaster for its own purposes, and for a decade now has filled our front pages with endless stories of scandal and corruption. If not stopped now, this degeneration will have gone too far to redress," said Ndlovu.  

In conclusion Ndlovu urged voters to make their voices heard at the 2009 elections. 

"We hope that South Africans will realise that the death knell of the Scorpions is a clear indication that their wishes are not what matters to the ANC anymore - it's only the ruling party's own agenda that counts. We call on the electorate to send a clear message to the ANC when we go to the polls later this year - judge them harshly on what they've done to the Scorpions," concluded Ndlovu. 

Contact:
Velaphi Ndlovu, 083 625 0803.