EFF activist’s Marikana murder charges ‘politically motivated’, say supporters

Napoleon Webster is a constant feature at community and workers’ protests. His strong build, beard and camouflage overalls stand out on the front line. He’s been involved in land occupations, supported the student protests, and marched with unions not aligned to Cosatu. But he focuses most of his attention on rallying support for the EFF and fighting for justice for the mineworkers killed and injured in Marikana.

When Cyril Ramaphosa appeared at the Marikana Commission of Inquiry, Webster handed out T-shirts with an image of the ANC deputy president and chanted “blood on his hands”. In 2015, he yelled during a speech by President Jacob Zuma that police killed people in Marikana, prompting the president to appear to justify the massacre.

On Friday, the Hawks arrested Webster and charged him with the December murder of a 39-year-old man in Marikana. The bail hearing for him and five co-accused was heard in the Thlabane Magistrate’s Court on Monday amid claims of police abuse and political motives behind the charges.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said in December that a group marched to the Marikana police station demanding police stay away from sections of the community (others say they demanded police stop showing bias against parts of the community) and then went to the victim’s house and, after a chase, murdered him. Four suspects were arrested in December and two in January. Mulaudzi would not comment on the possible motive for the killing, but the incident has been linked to the occupation of about 290 new RDP houses in Marikana’s Extension 2.

Webster led the occupation of the houses and had warned that the police would use violence to evict the residents. While the matter is still in court, the North West government maintains the houses must go to listed beneficiaries. The occupiers believe the ANC is giving the houses to its supporters and have warned the government against attempting an eviction.

“Of course they were ANC people,” Webster told Daily Maverick last year. “We’re physically, emotionally and spiritually ready to fight,” he said when it looked like evictions might proceed despite a pending court appeal.

The relationship between the police, ANC and much of the Marikana community has been tense since the 2012 massacre, and the housing dispute is one of the latest iterations of the ongoing divisions.

Webster recently heard that he was wanted by police and after seeking legal advice approached SAPS to hand himself in if they wanted to arrest him. According to those close to him, he was told he wasn’t wanted at that stage, but outside court last week he was arrested by the Hawks.

Webster’s supporters reacted angrily to his arrest and the police allegedly let him out of the police car to calm the situation. There are allegations that the police then fired live ammunition into the crowd, with a bullet grazing Webster’s head, and that they later assaulted him after he was taken into custody again.

The incident occurred on Friday and Webster, who pictures show was stained with blood, was denied medical treatment, said his lawyer.

Two of his co-accused have claimed that police used electricity to torture them and denied them sufficient medical treatment and the right to report the alleged abuse. One of the accused is said to have urinated blood for two weeks as a result of the alleged torture.

Mulaudzi said the claims should be reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to investigate, but he doubted their veracity.

“This is just allegations,” he said. “There is no such.”

Mulaudzi said the police had investigated the murder thoroughly, taken statements, and that the accused must defend themselves in court.

Marikana resident and EFF supporter Mkansi Tyrone S’busiso however claimed that the police targeted Webster because he was leading the housing occupation and mobilising the community to rally behind the EFF.

“The police said they were looking for Napoleon because he has organised more people to occupy the houses,” he said. He claimed the ANC was using the police to target EFF leaders to weaken their attempts to organise in the area.

Photos: Napoleon Webster allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of police after his arrest last week for murder. (Photos supplied)

Activist Nigel Branken, who has worked with Webster, said activists who challenge the political status quo have been targeted recently.

“He is a guy who stands for what is right. He’s constantly on the right side of justice and I do think it’s an act of intimidation and it’s something we’re seeing in South Africa against those who stand up against corruption,” Branken said.

“With every person they lock up, with every person they intimidate, they’re only sowing the seeds of courage.”

The bail hearing for the six murder accused was postponed on Monday and will continue this week. DM

Photo: Napoleon Webster, centre, during an EFF demonstration in Alexandra, 20 April 2015. (Greg Nicolson)