NELSPRUIT – Mr Mandla Msibi (38), the ANC ward councillor of Daantjie Trust in Pienaar who is charged with inciting public violence, said today that he is facing an orchestrated political move against him.
Msibi appeared on the charges in the Kabokweni Magistrates Court on Thursday. They are related to alleged looting perpetrated against foreign-owned shops in Pienaar on March 2, the day of the funeral of a young man who had been gunned down by a foreign national a few days before.
Msibi is charged alongside 18 other people for alleged public violence. While a warrant for his arrest was issued last week, he was not arrested with his lawyers and the police agreeing that he would attend the court proceedings on Thursday.
The police said that his appearance resulted from a probe into the spate of violent protest action that has taken place in Pienaar ever since. Msibi explained that it was not his ward where these incidences occurred.
The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thulani Ntobela said, “It is very disturbing that a person like Msibi is found being accused of inciting violence instead of bringing peace. Opinion leaders from all walks of life are expected to work together with the police in stabilising the community during public violence.”
Msibi critisised the commissioner for commenting on the matter, which has not been concluded in a court. Provincial spokesperson for the police, Col Leonard Hlathi, said the commissioner’s call for assistance against violence was aimed at all walks of life, not Msibi specifically.
He refuted Msibi’s claim that, “It is an orchestrated political move against we who are vocal, raising issues about things that are not correct”.
Hlathi said the police was not a political organisation and that it its investigation into the incidents which led to Msibi.
Even before the fateful incident divided the community of Pienaar, the premier, Mr David Mabuza announced that the ANC in the province would investigate allegations against its own members accused or suspected of leading violent protests or marches. Msibi has been public about the fact that he had planned a march to Mbombela Stadium in January when the party’s national executive launched its election manifesto on January 11 over a development in the area that has stalled.
He said the fact that another councillor, who will not be named until she has been reached for comment, distributed text messages on Wednesday that he had been arrested, was proof of the political efforts against him.
He was released on a warning and will appear in court again on April 24.
