BUSHBUCKRIDGE – Municipal ward councillors have appeared in court on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
On Monday Mr Million Makaringe, a ward councillor from Bushbuckridge, and Mr Wonderboy Masinga from Thulamahashe, appeared in the Mhala Magistrate’s Court. This after they allegedly assaulted Mr David Sithole on Saturday morning.
A witness told Lowvelder that it happened in the early hours, and was a planned vigilante attack on Sithole for being a member of the EFF and Concerned Residents’ Association.
The latter body was started by locals who were dissatisfied with service delivery in the area. Both accused are members of the ANC.
“There were more people than just the two councillors who beat him,” said the witness. “He was ambushed and taken to another place where people wearing ANC T-shirts had parked in their vans. “They dragged him to the ground and beat him up, even with a sjambok. When he ran away, the other people stole his cellphone.”
A few weeks ago, another ANC councillor, Mr Mandla Msibi was arrested with 18 others for allegedly perpetuating public violence during a strike in Pienaar over the murder of a young man by a foreign national.
Makaringe and Masinga were not asked to plead and were released on warnings this week. The police investigation continues.
