The executive mayor of Ekurhuleni, Clr Mondli Gungubele, has called on the police to work around the clock to nab the people behind the torching of a councillor’s house in Zonkizizwe, on Thursday night.
The house of ANC Ward 61 councillor Clr Teboho Letsoha was gutted by angry residents.
Although the situation has calmed down today, it remains quite tense, with a heavy police presence.
“While the information with regard to what happened is still trickling in, at the forefront I wish to make it clear that no amount of excuses can justify the crime committed against the councillor,” Gungubele said.
“I am told that this incident had something to do with a power outage.
“The unfortunate part is that the councillor became the victim of an attack, when he was also affected by the outage.
“The time has come for our people to understand the role of the councillors, who are servants of the people and are there to bring communities closer to government.”
He pointed out that the very same community voted the councillor into office and if they now have a problem with him, they must engage proper processes as stipulated by the IEC instead of threatening his life.
“What makes this incident even more unfortunate is the fact that it happened on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter,” Gungubele added.
“This is certainly not the freedom our forefathers paid the ultimate price for.
“We must do better as a country.”
The councillor’s house is the second to be set alight in two months.
The other house was set alight in Etwatwa, in a move that prompted concerned residents, led by the churches, to take to the streets to call for a stop to vandalism of private and public property during service delivery protests.
Gungubele said it was now the duty of the community to work closely with the police to bring the perpetrators to book.
“This is an act of crime and someone must pay for this,” he said.
“No one is above the law in this country.”
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