By Umamah Bakharia

Al- Jama-ah has pressed theft charges against executive Johannesburg mayor, Mpho Phalatse after the party allegedly found the stolen statue of apartheid activist, Yasser Arafat, in the vicinity of council where the mayors office is.

Earlier this year, Al- Jama-ah erected a statue of Former President of the State of Palestine, Yasser Arafat to declare Johannesburg an apartheid free-zone. However, the statue went missing and upon investigation it was found on the municipal property of Joburg’s mayor.

Radio Islam spoke to Former MMC for development planning in the City of Johannesburg, Al- Jama-ah Gauteng provincial, Abubakr Thapelo Amad on the charges against Phalatse.

The charges include theft and malicious damage to property on the basis of vicarious liability to which Amad says – even if  Phalatse did not commit the crimes, she is equally liable because of the office that she holds.

“Our argument in this essence is that there were no due processors which were followed in terms of the policy makers and  the bylaw makers or the city itself,” says Amad.

Al-Jama-ah says they are awaiting the action from the police to see how the law will handle this situation as Phalatse has mentioned her support towards Israel in numerous instances.

According to Amad, Al-Jama-ah made the statue because: “Former President of the State of Palestine, Yasser Arafat and their struggle resonates with the struggles of South Africans in terms of apartheid struggle.”

He adds: “It’s a figure that we chose to commemorate at the time and to declare the City of Johannesburg as an apartheid free-zone, using he’s statue symbolically so.”

The City of Johannesburg has not yet commented on the allegations.