Man arrested for assaulting Soshanguve councillor
A suspect has been arrested for assaulting Soshanguve ward councillor, Maribishi Simon Marotola.
A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a Soshanguve ward councillor.
Councillor of ward 90, Maribishi Simon Marotola opened a case of assault at the Akasia police station at the weekend, after he was allegedly beaten up by a group of people last Thursday.
Police spokesperson, Captain Riana van Aarde confirmed that Simon Phele of Extension 7 was arrested for assault and released on Monday, after appearing in court.
“It is alleged the two men, both ANC members had a fight during a meeting called by councillor Marotola on Thursday 5 November,” said Van Aarde.
Speaking to Rekord on Tuesday, Marotola said a group of about five men turned up at the meeting and demanded a tender to build some of the RDP houses earmarked for Extension 7 in the township.
The drama played out at a meeting where officials from the department of human settlements had come to hand over the RDP housing project to the councillor. The project was for building new RDP houses.
Minutes before the handover, a group of people arrived in a bakkie and private cars and started swearing at the councillor.
“One of the five men took out a slingshot and hit me in the private parts. I was provoked. I attempted to disarm him, but the others overpowered me and helped him to assault me,” he said.
“I stumbled and fell and one of the men punched me on the cheek, eye and upper body,” the councillor said.
Marotola later left the scene to seek medical attention.
Marotola blamed some ANC local branch members and accused them of orchestrating the attack.
“There were people in the bakkie, who said they were sent by the branch secretary to attack me and disrupt the programme,” he said.
According to Marotola his attackers demanded the tender to build the RDP houses.
“It is not my prerogative to award tenders. The project steering committee is still going to sit and discuss how the community would benefit from the project,” he said.
However, Phele denied Marotola’s claims and said he was actually on the receiving end of an assault by Malatola.
“I asked him why was he the decision-maker in a project involving the community and then he became angry and kicked me on my belly,” explained Phele.
“I went to open a case of assault at the police and was told my case would be handled by Warrant Office Chauke. To my surprise the same investigating officer came to my house the next morning to arrest me for assaulting him,” he said.
Phele said he spent two nights in prison.
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