Great Kei mayor Loyiso Tshetsha, 34, a former nurse, was hailed as a hero after he resuscitated four injured ANC elective conference delegates at the weekend.
Tshetsha, an Amathole region delegate at the conference, put politics aside to provide first aid to a number of injured delegates as the highly contested ANC conference turned violent over the adoption of delegate credentials.
At least seven people were taken to hospital late on Saturday night.
Although there was an ambulance at the scene, some of the injured could not get to it because of the crowd and the traffic in front of the ICC entrance.
As more victims came out of the auditorium Tshetsha was on hand to provide first aid.
The violence was the culmination of mounting tensions in the party’s eighth elective congress in the province. The East London International Convention Centre’s floors were splattered with blood and strewn with items of clothing and furniture, all spilt, thrown or ripped during the crossfire.
A video circulated showing Tshetsha delivering first aid to the injured. Injured delegate Mzoxolo Mathodolo, who chairs a branch in the Amathole region, said he did not know who resuscitated him but he was eternally grateful.
“I don’t know why we were attacked. We only came to the congress to put forward the wishes of our branches. There is no reason why we should have been intimidated and attacked for voicing out the wishes of our branches,” said Mathodolo.
When the Daily Dispatch asked Tshetsha for a comment he refused saying he was not in a good space to talk about the violence.
Hero mayor puts medical past to use
Tshetsha, an Amathole region delegate at the conference, put politics aside to provide first aid to a number of injured delegates as the highly contested ANC conference turned violent over the adoption of delegate credentials.
At least seven people were taken to hospital late on Saturday night.
Although there was an ambulance at the scene, some of the injured could not get to it because of the crowd and the traffic in front of the ICC entrance.
As more victims came out of the auditorium Tshetsha was on hand to provide first aid.
The violence was the culmination of mounting tensions in the party’s eighth elective congress in the province. The East London International Convention Centre’s floors were splattered with blood and strewn with items of clothing and furniture, all spilt, thrown or ripped during the crossfire.
A video circulated showing Tshetsha delivering first aid to the injured. Injured delegate Mzoxolo Mathodolo, who chairs a branch in the Amathole region, said he did not know who resuscitated him but he was eternally grateful.
“I don’t know why we were attacked. We only came to the congress to put forward the wishes of our branches. There is no reason why we should have been intimidated and attacked for voicing out the wishes of our branches,” said Mathodolo.
When the Daily Dispatch asked Tshetsha for a comment he refused saying he was not in a good space to talk about the violence.
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