THE City of Tshwane has opened a criminal case against ANC councillors for allegedly assaulting the Speaker of Council, Dr Murunwa Makwarela.
The city opened a case at the Brooklyn cop shop in Tshwane yesterday, 17 November, after the assault which allegedly took place on Tuesday, 15 November. According to Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams, the ANC councillors wanted to disrupt council proceedings.
Makwarela, speaking outside the cop shop, said they were laying criminal charges against ANC councillors who behaved unlawfully in allegedly attacking him and fellow councillors.
“The behaviour of those councillors is against the law and it cannot be tolerated,” he said.
He said at least 15 ANC councillors participated in allegedly assaulting him and other councillors.
“We have identified them and the police will conduct further investigations,” he said.
He said councillors found doing illegal things will be brought to book. Makwarela said he is using medication as he sustained injuries and is still feeling pain. Williams said the ANC councillors disrupt council meetings because their aim is to stop service delivery in the city.
He said the speaker ruled that the councillors could attend council meetings virtually. Williams said they demanded a two-hour break so they could go to court to challenge the speaker’s ruling.
“If the council doesn’t work, service delivery stops. They don’t know how to govern the city or how to behave as an opposition,” he said.
“We need to deliver services and need to work in council. They assaulted the speaker, followed him to his office and tried to break his door,” said Williams. Mandla Mhlana of ActionSA said that the ANC wants to derail service delivery. so that the coalition can’t continue with services.
African Christian Democratic Party’s Ronald Morake condemned the assault.
Ziyanda Zwane of Inkatha Freedom Party said: “We support the speaker and We want the perpetrators to be brought to book.”
MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen, also condemned the incident.
Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said: “A case of common assault is being investigated by the police.”
ANC Tshwane spokesman, Bafuze Yabo, said the cases opened against them are frivolous as no one assaulted the speaker and other members of the council. The party was supposed to hold a briefing yesterday, 17 November, but it didn’t take place.
He says this was after an alleged incident that took place during a Tshwane council meeting on Tuesday.
