GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament
25 January 2025
The GOOD Party is concerned about media reports that DA Federal Chair Helen Zille and MMC JP Smith were tipped off ahead of the raids on the Cape Town municipal offices.
According to a report by News24 Helen Zille said “she knew late last year that a police raid on Smith and fellow committee member Xanthea Limberg was imminent. “
JP Smith’s Facebook post says “I attempted to contact SAPS to determine if such allegations were indeed substantiated. In an effort of complete transparency, I also reported the concerns to the Executive Mayor, as well as the Speaker of council and to my party leadership, after which the Speaker wrote to the NPA and SAPS asking them to “confirm or deny” such rumours.”
If Zille and Smith were aware last year, then there’s a potential obstruction of justice, or travesty of justice, case to be answered for because there’s been months or weeks for any evidence to have been eliminated or moved.
SAPS must address how Zille and Smith became aware and investigate whether there’s been an interference in their investigation by those implicated being forewarned.
There is a lot of speculation about the raids, conducted by the Commercial Crimes unit on the offices of JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg. Both DA MMCs in Cape Town.
Smith and Zille appear to claim that the raids were some intricate and elaborate “komplot” orchestrated by SAPS, the NPA and unnamed opponents within the DA and opposition politicians.
Obviously, there’s no finding of guilt just because there was a raid but raids are serious invasions of privacy and can only happen judicially.
What Smith and Zille failed to address is that these raids could only lawfully take place after a warrant was issue by a judicial officer being either a judge or a magistrate. The judicial officer has to be persuaded, under oath by an investigating officer, that there is good reason to issue such a warrant.
Zille and Smith’s komplot theory is not impossible but it is highly unlikely to include the courts.
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za