Helen Zille to sue South African Police Service

By Henry Booysen
09 November 2007

Democratic Alliance leader and Mayor of the City of Cape Town Helen Zille has given instructions to her legal team to sue the South African Police Service after they arrested her following a lawful march against drugs held in Mitchells Plain in September.

The suing process will be set out by the Legal Proceedings Against Certain Organs of State Act. The Mayor has also sent a letter yesterday to the Minister of Safety and Security notifying him of her intention. This will then be followed by a thirty days wait after the sending of the notice, papers would be filed at the Magistrates Court in Mitchells Plain so that a court date can be set.

“Ms Zille is suing the police on three counts on unlawful arrest, unlawful detention and malicious prosection, for R100 000 per count. She then intends to donate the damages that might be awarded to drug rehabilitation work in Mitchells Plain,” says spokesperson of the Democratic Martin Slabbert.

picture courtesy of news.bbc.co.uk