Fourteen houses belonging to ANC members in the Alfred Nzo district were torched at the weekend because of how the party’s deployees were chosen leading to the 2016 municipal elections.
One person was shot and injured after the violence broke out in Ntabankulu at the weekend.
Several families from Nowalala administrative area are now living in fear after fighting broke out over how Ntabankulu Ward 4 councillor Zwelixolile Makhosonke was chosen to contest the elections in 2016.
The bone of contention was the selection of an ANC ward councillor candidate who protesters claimed they did not want.
They claimed the ANC had promised that Makhosonke would be recalled and a by-election would be held soon after the local government elections where their preferred candidate, Gladys Nomvuyo Makhwabaza would stand.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi lashed out at alleged ring leaders of the violence.
“We call upon police to act decisively and arrest all those involved in the violence. We cannot allow anarchy,” said Ngcukaitobi.
EmaXesibeni police spokeswoman Captain Edith Mjoko yesterday said that although the fight erupted on Saturday “it became worse and things turned nasty on Monday with the burning of the houses and the shooting”.
“The suspects in both the arson and the shooting cases are still at large. A large contingent of police have been deployed to the area including specialised units like POP and are monitoring the situation day and night and have contained it,” said Mjoko.
She said cases of attempted murder, unlawful discharging of a firearm and arson with intention to do malicious damage to property had been opened. The firearm has not yet been found.
One of the victims, Bulelani Makhosonke, who is the relative of the under-fire councillor, said: “This is scary. We do not know when they will again attack.”
Alfred Nzo ANC regional chairman and district mayor Sixolile Mehlomakhulu and Ntabankulu mayor Vusi Mgoduka yesterday strongly condemned the violence.
Mehlomakhulu confirmed the latest violence was related to the 2016 local government election violence that erupted in the village in August 2016, when four homesteads were burnt and a daughter of a former councillor kidnapped.
Mehlomakhulu said the grievances of the branch that complained of irregularities in the ANC’s list process leading to the 2016 polls, were heard by a committee last year that included national leaders.
“The verdict was that the councillor was nominated and voted for following proper process and he could therefore not be removed from his deployment,” he said.
Mehlomakhulu said ANC regional officials would hold a special meeting on the matter yesterday. But at the time of writing, he could not be reached for further comment on what the party had resolved. — lulamile@dispatch.co.za
Violence in Alfred Nzo over elections
One person was shot and injured after the violence broke out in Ntabankulu at the weekend.
Several families from Nowalala administrative area are now living in fear after fighting broke out over how Ntabankulu Ward 4 councillor Zwelixolile Makhosonke was chosen to contest the elections in 2016.
The bone of contention was the selection of an ANC ward councillor candidate who protesters claimed they did not want.
They claimed the ANC had promised that Makhosonke would be recalled and a by-election would be held soon after the local government elections where their preferred candidate, Gladys Nomvuyo Makhwabaza would stand.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi lashed out at alleged ring leaders of the violence.
“We call upon police to act decisively and arrest all those involved in the violence. We cannot allow anarchy,” said Ngcukaitobi.
EmaXesibeni police spokeswoman Captain Edith Mjoko yesterday said that although the fight erupted on Saturday “it became worse and things turned nasty on Monday with the burning of the houses and the shooting”.
“The suspects in both the arson and the shooting cases are still at large. A large contingent of police have been deployed to the area including specialised units like POP and are monitoring the situation day and night and have contained it,” said Mjoko.
She said cases of attempted murder, unlawful discharging of a firearm and arson with intention to do malicious damage to property had been opened. The firearm has not yet been found.
One of the victims, Bulelani Makhosonke, who is the relative of the under-fire councillor, said: “This is scary. We do not know when they will again attack.”
Alfred Nzo ANC regional chairman and district mayor Sixolile Mehlomakhulu and Ntabankulu mayor Vusi Mgoduka yesterday strongly condemned the violence.
Mehlomakhulu confirmed the latest violence was related to the 2016 local government election violence that erupted in the village in August 2016, when four homesteads were burnt and a daughter of a former councillor kidnapped.
Mehlomakhulu said the grievances of the branch that complained of irregularities in the ANC’s list process leading to the 2016 polls, were heard by a committee last year that included national leaders.
“The verdict was that the councillor was nominated and voted for following proper process and he could therefore not be removed from his deployment,” he said.
Mehlomakhulu said ANC regional officials would hold a special meeting on the matter yesterday. But at the time of writing, he could not be reached for further comment on what the party had resolved. — lulamile@dispatch.co.za
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