Pubdate: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 Source: Pretoria News, The (South Africa) Copyright: 2007 The Pretoria News Contact: http://www.pretorianews.co.za Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2962 Author: Aziz Hartley And Moshoeshoe Monare TREAT ZILLE WITH RESPECT, SAYS ANC BIG SHOT ANC secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe says the arrest of DA leader and Cape Town mayor Helen Zille is "very unfortunate". She should be treated with respect and dignity to protect the image of South Africa. Although the rule of law had to take its course, he said, the status of Zille's office should be considered. His comments in Johannesburg yesterday came amid scenes of jubilation outside the Mitchell's Plain magistrate's court where Zille and residents welcomed Amien Maker, a Muslim cleric, as he emerged from court. Said Motlanthe: "Without changing the principle that all shall be equal before the law and that ... the rule of law should be applied without fear or favour, we think that a person holding such high public office should be treated with some decorum of respect. "If there are questions she needs to answer and there are certain charges preferred against her, those should be handled with the dignity that her office called for," he said. He raised concerns about the political implication of the incident internationally. "We find it very unfortunate. If these kinds of developments ... are read about (abroad), it would give a negative picture about the country," Motlanthe said. Maker, the People's Anti-drug and Liquor Action Committee (Padlac) leader, was arrested on Sunday after Zille had knocked on an alleged drug dealer's door during a protest march in Woodlands. While he returns to court on October 26, Zille and eight others arrested with her on Sunday, will appear in court today.They all face illegal gathering charges. Yesterday outside court a tearful Maker said: "It is about how as a concerned person the mayor stood up for what is right. "She has shown the courage to knock on a (drug) merchant's door, something ordinary people expect police to be doing. I salute her." Earlier during a placard demonstration outside court, Zille vowed to sue acting premier Leonard Ramatlakane for claiming that she flirted with vigilantism and had broken the law by participating in an illegal demonstration. "Ramatlakane should read the constitution. People have right to freedom of assembly, to peaceful protest and to free speech. That is what we were doing. "There was nothing remotely violent about the march. If MEC Ramatlakane wants to smear me, he could find himself seriously sued. "I'd like to know which law I've broken. I think police are breaking laws by not arresting known drug dealers. I need to ask him why. "Yes, I will be taking legal action. I will help the moulana (Maker) and the imams to sue Ramatlakane for defamation. How dare he say these people are vigilantes? They are the exact opposite," Zille said. Lentegeur resident Bahia Abrahams said: "How can he brand us as vigilantes? We are ordinary parents trying to protect our children from falling to drugs. The mayor is right to sue him. We'll stand by her." ANC provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha, joined the fray yesterday, saying "there is a fine line between mobilising communities and organisations to work with police to combat crime, and vigilantism". "This is more so in communities with a long history of gangsterism, substance abuse and crime. Politicians have a special responsibility to ensure in these volatile situations, they stand on the correct side of that line. The law must take its course." Meanwhile, two men accused of murdering Lentegeur neighbourhood watch member Abdurghman Sydow changed their decision not to apply for bail. Andre Williams and Ivan Allie will apply for bail later. In another case, seven men charged with arson and public violence will return to court on November 29. They are accused of setting alight a house during violence that erupted days after Sydow's murder. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek