ANC councillor’s office torched in housing dispute

An ANC councillor’s office was torched and he almost lost his home too when an attempt at arson was made at his home in a battle over occupation of a block of flats in Mamelodi, a statement by the party in the Greater Tshwane Region said on Sunday.

Councillor Mmina-Tau Marishane of Ward 15 in Mamelodi had been targeted, with his office torched, and an attempt on arson made on his home on Friday night.

“We call for calm and urge our people to use peaceful means of engagement with their public representatives,” said Eugene Modise, ANC regional secretary.

The party believes the attack is linked to a court battle between the City of Tshwane’s department of human settlements and people who illegally occupied a recently completed 250 unit block of flats constructed by the department, in Ward 15.

It blamed the “languid pace” with which the city’s administration was processing units.

“It is our considered view that the City administration should have handled the allocation of the new units with urgency to dispel the emergence of any opportunistic elements within Ward 15.”

It also condemned the incident, and called on law enforcement agencies to catch the people responsible for the attack on Marishane.

Comment was not immediately available from the council.

Police said they would check to confirm the incident to News24. The article will be updated once comment has been received.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.