ANC does not have a surname – Makamu
A SENIOR member of the ANC was shot in the stomach while another was punched five times in the face in separate, unrelated incidents over the weekend.
Alex Matlala
LIMPOPO – A SENIOR member of the ANC was shot in the stomach while another was punched five times in the face in separate, unrelated incidents over the weekend.
A house and luxury German sedan were also set alight.
Big-Boy Nkuna (41), a senior member of the Desmond Mahasha branch of the ANC in ward 8 of the Greater Tzaneen Municipality was shot in Bolobedu south on Saturday. According to provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronel Otto, Nkuna was fighting for his life in the Mankweng Hospital.
The shooting occurred in Relela village.
Otto said according to information, a fight ensued when two rival ANC groups disagreed during their meeting and decided to use their fists. Otto said one of the senior members of the Desmond Mahasha branch was allegedly forced into a corner, at which he allegedly took out a firearm and shot at the group that was stoning him. Otto said Nkuna, who was among the group, was shot during the altercation.
“The group allegedly also set one of the official’s cars and his house alight. The damage caused to the house and the vehicle cannot be released at the moment pending police investigations. No one has been arrested so far, but we are currently investigating arson and attempted murder,” Otto said.
In a separate and apparently unrelated incident on Friday, ANC chief whip in the Greater Giyani Municipality, John Bilankulu, was allegedly punched five times in the face. The alleged incident took place at the Bongy Mabunda branch of the ANC in Giyani in full view of senior ANC members deployed to oversee the running of the meeting.
The meeting was billed to elect delegates to the party’s forthcoming provincial general council to elect a senior member of the Limpopo top five executive members to be held soon. According to several sources, this position is highly sought after.
ANC regional secretary, Baisekopo Makamu confirmed tribalism was rearing its ugly head in the region. He said the region was sitting with tribal-related letters involving senior members of the ANC.
“According to the complaints we have received, it seems as if there are senior ANC officials in the province who are hell-bent on playing the tribal card in party structures. The ANC does not have a surname and will not be destroyed by the use of the tribal card. As the, ANC this black, gold and green party has no surname. It therefore belongs to everyone, whether you are black or white, Pedi or Shangaan, Zulu or Xhosa,” Makamu concluded.
