DA ward councillor attacked during community meeting – Verulam

A 71-year-old Ethekwini Metro councillor is still in shock after he was assaulted during a community meeting near Verulam last week.

Ethekwini Metro councillor for Ward 58 (Seatides, Westbrook and Canelands), Cllr Geoff Pullan, said he attended a meeting to discuss housing plans for the Canelands area when one of the residents asked him to leave because he was a DA councillor.

He said that when he refused, he was accosted by a group of men and a woman dressed in ANC-branded clothing, who dragged him to the edge of a bank and threatened to throw him into a river.

“Ethekweni Metro is trying to improve the lives of residents from informal settlements. The housing department called up this meeting with more than 100 people in attendance, to number all the shacks and gather details from the occupants.

“When I was told to leave by a young man, I responded that I was the ward councillor and I needed to be there. He returned with more people who dragged me across the road and tried to push me down the bank.

“Naturally, I struggled and the housing officials came to my aid and grabbed the attackers. My left ankle is now sprained.”

Pullan, who also suffered an assault by one of his ward committee members last year, accused Ethekwini Metro of not taking action against community members who openly attacked councillors.

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“Police reports have been opened and both incidents where I was assaulted were reported to the speaker’s office. Nothing happened to the ward committee member who hit me last year and nothing will happen this time. The lack of action leads community members to believe that attacking councillors for political agendas or when they do not agree with something, is okay.

“This is what makes councillors vulnerable especially ahead of elections. I’m almost embarrassed to say I am a councillor in Ethekwini, as the city leadership is not behaving as leaders.”

Ethekweni Metro had not responded to questions from the Courier by the time of publication.

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