Bulelani Qholani removed clothes to avoid eviction – Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato.
The Mayor of Cape Town Dan Plato said Khayelitsha man Bulelani Qholani who was violently removed from his shack while naked removed clothes to avoid an eviction.
The regrettable incident happened on Wednesday when the City of Cape Town Metro Police pounced on Khayelitsha settlement to evict people.
Speaking to eNCA new anchor Sally Burdett, Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato says almost all illegal settlers use the dressing naked tactics to avoid being evicted. He claims that the man (Bulelani Qholani) was dressed up before the metro police moved into his shack.
Sally Burdett:
“What did you think the first time you saw that video?”
Dan Plato:
“We don’t condone the fact that the person was naked and that he was dragged out of his shack…” He adds that moments before the metro officials moved into the shack, the man had his clothes on.
It is common that in many of the raids, many of the structures that are illegal and that need to be broken down, that people stand in front of the structure naked. It is not the first incident and I believe it will not be the last incident…”
“Look, our officers, they act under the very most difficult of circumstances. And may be under these circumstances as well, they had to make split decisions.”
“I think what prompted the officers to act in that manner … but they did pick that the man, was a person who was roaming around on the side, with his clothes and eventually he was naked…”
Sally says it’s clear Dan has spoken to the police as he claims this is a common tactic. She asks if he has spoken to Bulelani Qholani.
Plato:
“That is the role of the investigators, it’s not my role. I think let’s allow the investigators to do what they have to do…”
Cape Town Eviction was staged: Mayor Dan Plato
Plato says he didn’t speak to the cops involved, but what he said earlier is what he saw in the video.
“The fact of the matter is that … I am of the opinion that to some extent it was a staged act. I think it was to some extent deliberately done to put the City of Cape Town in a very, very bad light…”
Sally Burdett:
Are you suggesting that he is doing this to make you look bad?
Dan Plato:
Absolutely!!
This is a man who identifies himself as a Christian man…
People would say anything when they are on TV.
He says the City of CT in-house videos show a crime (or kind) of a different picture. He condemns the dragging of the man out of his shack, while naked.
Asked about Bulelani Qholani’s whereabouts tonight.
Plato:
“I don’t know where he is tonight. May be at his place, may be at his other house. May be that structure was not his structure. My take is, that structure was not his structure.”
The ANC and EFF in the Western Cape have laid a case of crimen injuria, against the City of Cape Town senior city officials and law enforcement officers.
To date, the City of Cape Town has fired the Metro Police officers involved in the eviction squabbles.