ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe says the organisation will give the police space to do their work regarding the arrest of the party's national spokesperson Jackson Mthembu. He was arrested in Cape Town yesterday after he was found to be over the legal alcohol limit. Mthembu was briefly held at the Mowbray police station before posting bail of R500.

Mthembu was in Cape Town where the ANC and SACP were to have a bilateral meeting to iron out differences that have led to public spats between the leaders of the two alliance organisations.

But, he was taken into custody after being stopped for allegedly driving in the specialised bus lane on the N2 Freeway.

Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety, PJ Smith, says Mthembu blew a breathalyzer test on the Drager System, which is admissible in court. He says that result over point eight in lieu of the zero point 24 that he is entitled to, which is slightly short of four times over the legal limit. Mthembu is to appear in court on March 24 to answer to drunken driving charges.