By Celani Sikhakhane
- Rival party members nearly fought with pangas outside the Richardsbay court on Thursday over a large banner about political corruption.
- The magistrate pushed Mayor Xolani Ngwezi and his court case to May because the court needs a totally clear schedule.
Rival political supporters pulled out pangas and almost started a fight outside the Richardsbay Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The trouble started over an African National Congress banner placed outside the court building. The bold words on the banner accused uMhlathuze Municipality Mayor Xolani Ngwezi and his Inkatha Freedom Party of corruption.
IFP members arrived late and found the banner already hanging. They grew angry and demanded that the crowd remove it. ANC members refused and said they had a right to freedom of speech. Pangas came out as both sides lost their tempers.
Inside the building, Magistrate DP Mhlongo told Mayor Ngwezi that his crimen injuria case will move to 27 May. The magistrate said the court needs a completely open day without other cases to focus only on this matter. The mayor is out on warning and must return to court at 8 am.
Thembeka Mchunu, a leader in the ANC task team, told her supporters that the charges stem from insults the mayor made on television. She said Ngwezi insulted ANC member Phiwe Mhlongo and businessman Cyril Paton on 1KZN TV.
“Look at him now, he is acting strong in front of his supporters but inside the court, he was freezing and scared while the magistrate was making the closing remarks,” Mchunu said.
Ngwezi spoke to his IFP supporters outside the court. He said the case is actually going his way. He told the crowd that his only mistake is fighting against the corruption created by the ANC when they ran the government.
Pictured above: Tension flared at the uMhlathuze Municipality Mayor Xolani Ngwezi’s case outside the Richardsbay Magistrate Court on Thursday between the ANC and IFP supporters.
Image source: Celani Sikhakhane
