An East London family say they are so terrorised by their ward councillor that they have had to flee their home and go into hiding.
They have opened five criminal cases against ANC ward 9 councillor Mendi Wetsetse, 32.
East London police spokesperson Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed Duncan Village police are investigating Wetsetse after cases were opened of attempted murder, malicious damage to property, robbery with a weapon and two counts of intimidation.
The cases were opened by mother of three Thandiwe Zatu, 42, and her 20-year-old son, Thobani.
Wetsetse, in turn, has accused Thobani of breaking into her home on September 1.
Wetsetse told the Dispatch she was told by her nine-year-old son that Thobani stole his cellphone and her television.
The boy was sleeping alone at home while Wetsetse was at the ANC regional elective conference when Phumlani Mkolo defeated Xola Pakati to the ANC chair.
Wetsetse said: “My son might be young, but he is very vigilant. He saw him.”
Wetsetse claims the charges brought against her are politically motivated.
“This is retribution for declaring my support for Mkolo. Zatu was persuaded to open the cases by my political opponents.”
Zatu claims that on September 3 Wetsetse, her boyfriend and “50” of her supporters hunted down Thobani and then punched, kicked and dragged him around.
Zatu, who admitted her son has had several “run-ins” with the law, said he was dragged through the streets of Braelyn to the councillor’s home in full view of cheering community members.
“When they got there, the councillor poured petrol on my son, but luckily he managed to break free before they could find matches. They wanted to burn him alive.”
Wetsetse said her boyfriend had only used “light” violence during an “interrogation”.
“The petrol story is not true, it was just a few hot klaps to get him to talk.”
Zatu said her wounded son, after managing to climb over Wetsetse’s high fence, ran towards Amalinda and managed to hitch a lift from a long-distance truck driver, who dropped him at his grandmother’s place in Butterworth.
“I got a call from my mom telling me my son was badly hurt and traumatised.”
Zatu said her other two sons, aged seven and 24, had also sought refuge with relatives.
Zatu said she, too, was forced to flee her home after Wetsetse and her boyfriend kept visiting her at night threatening to kill her and her son and burn their home down.
Zatu, a tuckshop owner, also claims Wetsetse knocked down her zinc shop.
But Wetsetse said: “Community members got information that Thobani hides there after committing a crime, so they destroyed the shop.”
Zatu said she decided to flee after she was called to a community meeting by Wetsetse, where about 50 people were “hurling insults” and “interjecting” while she was speaking.
“The meeting was at 7pm on September 5. I left that meeting at 8pm. I was scared they would resolve to kill me. I was afraid to go home, so I went to the forest where I stayed until midnight. I moved out the next morning.”
Zatu believes the councillor is inciting the community against her.
Zatu said: “I am living with friends and I haven’t seen my children since September 6.
“I don’t eat, I am weak and I have lost weight.”
Wetsetse said the community was tired of Thobani’s criminal ways.
“It’s not me, it’s community members. They are accusing Thandi of hiding a criminal.”
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said: “This is a criminal matter with serious allegations.
“It is in the hands of law enforcement authorities to investigate and as a city, we cannot be dragged into it unless it impacted on the councillor’s council-related functions.”..