NPA withdraws criminal charges
against DA MP
Police used water cannons to remove DA supporters who gathered near
Parliament hours before the Sona.
FILE: DA supporters surrounded by riot police from the perspective of
the inside of a police van. Picture: Marius Redelinghuys.
Rahima Essop | 4 days
ago
CAPE TOWN - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has withdrawn
criminal charges laid against a Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) and three other people who were arrested
during a demonstration ahead of the State
of the Nation Address (Sona) two weeks ago.
Police used water cannons to remove DA supporters who had gathered near
Parliament in the Cape Town CBD just hours before President Jacob Zuma’s
speech.
MP and party spokesperson Marius Redelinghuys was among those who were
detained.
He
says the withdrawal vindicates their view that the charges were baseless and
part of the police's “bully boy” tactics to clamp down on legitimate political
activity.
Redelinghuys also says the party still intends to lay a complaint with
the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for what he calls the “brutal
and unnecessary force” used by the police.
