POLOKWANE – An unsavoury incident in Magazyn Street on Saturday saw the MEC for sport, arts and culture, Merriam Ramadwa’s son attended to by police and emergency services personnel.
Kuvha Ramadwa, who is in his mid-20s, was reportedly found lying unconscious on the side of the road. A resident called the emergency medical services (EMS) as well as the police, as no one present was sure whether he was dead or seriously ill.
It turned out, he was allegedly inebriated. Kuvha reportedly gained semi-consciousness, and his friends informed the EMS personnel, who had just arrived, that he had had a lot to drink.
EMS personnel left the scene without treating him.
He earlier allegedly broke a window at a house where he visited friends.
With Kuvha once again unconscious, the police loaded him into the back of their police van and took him home, eye-witnesses said.
Ramadwa was “deeply shocked” when she was informed of her son’s conduct, her spokesperson, Khathu Sadiki confirmed. He said she viewed the matter in an extremely serious light.
A man who said he had been in the company of Kuvha earlier on in the day, identified him to the police, adding that he was an MEC’s son.
The man, who spoke to Review on condition of anonymity, said Kuvha had been visiting some female friends at a rented house in Magazyn Street earlier in the day, and later left.
“He returned with more male friends and booze, which we drank during the Pirates – Chiefs game. He left again later to get more booze. Eventually he was so drunk he could not even stand on his own, and was shouting to everyone that he is the son of a powerful MEC,” the man related.
He said Kuvha became violent and allegedly broke some windows at the home he was visiting.
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Review was later provided with a video clip showing some of what happened on Saturday. On the video clip, a female voice is heard saying: “Is this really an MEC’s child drunk like this? It can’t be!”
Kuvha’s friends are heard on the video clip mocking him for fighting against his inebriated state. “You must fall and respect beer, how can you fight alcohol, you must be like a king when drinking beer,” they taunt him.
Later on in the video clip, Kuvha says that whoever is taking photos of him should feel free to do so and also write whatever they want.
Another source close to the women Kuvha was visiting, who for this reason also wished to remain anonymous, told Review that following the incident, the two women went to see the MEC at her home to speak to her about the damage occurred, but “the MEC did not want to attend to them. She told them to leave her home saying they should face Kuvha himself because she had nothing to do with his actions”.
Sadiki further said at the time that the women went to see Ramadwa, she did not have the full story, which was why she had reacted in this manner. “The boy came home and informed his mother of what happened but did not give the full story, hence the MEC’s reaction when the two girls came to complain about the smashed windows,” he explained. He added that Ramadwa and her family would sit down and try to find a way to end Kuvha’s alleged behaviour.
Polokwane police spokesperson, Capt Ntobeng Phala could not confirm nor deny that police took Kuvha home as no case was opened.
“At this point we think that the police officials who were at the scene may have been on patrol in the area at the time. Since the complainant did not open a case, it is difficult to know what happened,” Phala said.
