Celani Sikhakhane
An ANC councillor in Richards Bay was badly beaten up after getting into a punch up with EFF councillors.
The shocking incident took place on Tuesday morning after the ANC suffered a huge defeat to the IFP in the uMhlathuze council. The meeting was postponed on Monday following IFP speaker candidate Lulamile Mapholoba’s surprise victory.
Refusing to admit defeat, some ANC councillors went to considerable lengths to reverse the results. They even tried to destroy the results that were written on paper laid in front of Mapholoba, the City Manager.
Then, ANC councillors raised several points of order in the hope of getting Mapholoba recused from presiding over the council. Eventually it was agreed that they would reconvene on Tuesday.
As council retook their places on Tuesday, EFF councillor Nkosingiphile Mthembu warned ANC councillors that if they continued to misbehave, they would sort them out.
“On Monday the council had to be postponed because of your frivolous points of order. You are failing to accept that you no longer govern this municipality. We are tired of your tactics,” said Mthembu.
But this warning fell on deaf ears as many of the ANC’s new councillors went on disrupting the meeting.
An altercation eventually broke out and an ANC councillor was punched in the face and then the fight between ANC and EFF councillors went from bad to worse.
A source told Scrolla.Africa that the beaten councillor was new and doesn’t know Mthembu.
“Most of us are scared of Mthembu because he is a man who doesn’t hesitate to give you a fist. That’s why the ANC councillors decided to calm down after Mthembu stood up and warned them against disturbing the council,” said the source.
IFP mayoral candidate Dr Nkonzoyakhe Donda was elected unopposed in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, while EFF Nkululeko Nkonyane was elected as deputy mayor.
In Ladysmith under the Alfred Duma Local Municipality, another fight took place in which the councillor of the National People’s Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa was badly beaten by the IFP VIP guest. As in uMhlathuze, the aggressor was allegedly enraged by Mthethwa’s points of order.
Mthethwa said he has since opened the case of assault, and KZN SAPS Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said they are still investigating the matter.
