EFF councillor assaulted ‘for no apparent reason’
A community meeting in Seshego Zone 1 turned sour after EFF ward 13 councillor Oupa Ramaphoko was assaulted, allegedly by members of the opposition party, on Saturday.
POLOKWANE – Ramaphoko, said: “The matter was taken to the police so I cannot discuss the case.
“All I can say is that this happened because they didn’t want to listen to us.” According to EFF Provincial Secretary, Jossey Buthane, the ward councillor was beaten by ANC members for no apparent reason.
“It was a community meeting to elect a ward committee and the meeting was supposed to start at 10:00, however, officials of the municipality arrived four hours late. By that time, everyone had left. This was when we asked for the meeting to be postponed to which everyone agreed,” Buthane said. He said after the ward councillor left the meeting and arrived at home, he learned the meeting which was supposedly postponed had continued. He went back to the venue to find out what happened. When he arrived at the venue and asked for the roll-call, he was assaulted, allegedly by members of the ANC. Buthane said the EFF opened a case of assault at the Seshego Police Station and will seek justice for the incident. “We will not allow this kind of behaviour. We have also raised this issue with the mayor. Those who think they can get away with assaulting EFF members have another thing coming,” Buthane said.
Seshego Police Spokesperson, WO Mothemane Malefo, said he was not aware of the incident or knew who the councillor was. ANC Spokesperson, Aluwani Netsianda, said: “The process of electing a ward committee is in the jurisdiction of the municipality”.
By the time of publishing, Municipal Spokesperson Matshidiso Mothapo did not give comment.
